HOUSE OF COMMONS

Lager Sales (Refreshment Department)

Martyn Jones: To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee how many barrels of Carlsberg Lager and Carlsberg Export Lager were sold by the House of Commons Refreshment Department in 2000.

Dennis Turner: It is difficult to give a precise answer to my hon. Friend's question, as figures are not kept in the form requested. However, I am able to inform him that in the 12-month period from April 2000 until March 2001, the House of Commons Refreshment Department purchased 210 11-gallon barrels of Carlsberg Lager. Barrels are purchased in response to demand, and it is reasonable to assume that the number of barrels sold is similar to the number purchased.
	The Commons Refreshment Department does not sell draught Carlsberg Export Lager.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Walton Group Plc

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much money is owed to his Department by Walton Group Plc in respect of Exchange Flags Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

Sally Keeble: The Department is pursuing a civil claim against the Walton Group plc and Todd and Benn (Contractors) Ltd. to recover the full city grant value of £4,444,782. In addition, it is seeking interest totalling £2,603,062 as of 9 November 2001, and a claim for legal fees, costs and expert fees that are estimated at 8 November 2001 to be £280,000 (inclusive of VAT).

Yellow School Bus Pilot

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what plans he has to extend the yellow school bus pilot; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what research has been conducted (a) by and (b) on behalf of his Department on the yellow school bus pilot scheme; and when the results are to be published;
	(3)  in which local authorities the yellow school bus pilot scheme is in operation; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  how much his Department has spent on the yellow school bus pilot scheme in financial years 2000–01 and 2001–02; and how much expenditure is projected for financial years 2002–03 and 2003–04;

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement about the pilot project for the introduction of yellow buses for home-to-school transport.

Sally Keeble: My Department has facilitated the introduction of American-style yellow school buses by agreeing to grant exemption from some of the provisions of the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations to enable pilot schemes to operate. The first such scheme is expected to start in Calderdale in the new year. My Department will collect base line data near the start of pilot schemes, and will evaluate them, probably after about a year's operation. The results of the evaluations will be published. The Department has incurred no costs so far other than staff time in considering the case for exemptions from regulations. Future costs will be staff time plus consultancy fees for data collection and evaluation. The level of these costs will depend on the number of pilot schemes, which will be a matter for agreement between local authorities and operators.

PowerShift Register

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will publish the amended version of the PowerShift Register to incorporate the extension of the LPG conversion grant scheme to include vehicles up to five years old; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: holding answer 5 November 2001
	The PowerShift programme is administered on behalf of my Department by the Energy Saving Trust. The updated version of the PowerShift Register, now covering vehicle models up to five years old, is available on the Trust's website at www.est-powershift.org.uk. Grants for these vehicles are now available and the website provides full information on how they can be claimed. Information is also available on the Trust's telephone hotline on 0845 602 1425.

New Deal for Communities

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has for a further round of New Deal for Communities funding to assist the regeneration of post-industrial areas of intense social deprivation.

Sally Keeble: There are no plans for a third round of New Deal for Communities (NDC) funding. The Government are fully committed to the NDC programme and to tackling multiple deprivation in some of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country, including many in post-industrial areas, to bridge the gap between these neighbourhoods and the rest of the country.
	The Neighbourhood Renewal Unit is in the process of rolling out a range of programmes that will build on the lessons learned through NDC and strengthen and improve core public services in deprived areas.

Concessionary Fares (Coaches)

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent meetings he has had with representatives of coach operators to discuss proposals for a half-fare concessionary scheme for pensioners on long distance coach journeys; and if he will make a statement.

Sally Keeble: We announced on 5 November our approval in principle of a proposal from the Commission for Integrated Transport under which coach operators would offer half-price fares to older and disabled passengers on long distance scheduled coach services in England. In return operators would—for the first time—receive Fuel Duty Rebate.
	My Department has already had initial discussions with the Confederation of Passenger Transport about this proposal and we look forward to further discussions with them shortly on the details of its implementation.

Local Government Pension Scheme

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 24 October 2001, Official Report, column 228W, on best value, how many building direct labour organisations transferred to the private sector have been given admitted-body status to the local government pension scheme; and what pension provision will be made for those which will not remain in the LGPS.

Alan Whitehead: Information about the transfer of building direct labour organisations (DLOs) to the private sector is not held centrally. When a local authority function is outsourced and the new contractor chooses not to seek admitted-body status within the local government pension scheme, transferred employees should be offered broadly comparable pension arrangements.

Local Government Pension Scheme

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to reform local government final salary pension schemes.

Alan Whitehead: There are no plans to change the current benefit package provided by the local government pension scheme.

Local Government Pension Scheme

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what was the total cost of local government final salary pensions in the last financial year.

Alan Whitehead: In 2000–01, pensions paid to members of the local government pension scheme totalled £3.5 billion.

Public-Private Partnerships

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the projects which have been considered as potential public-private partnerships since 1997 which have not been undertaken because the public sector comparator had a lower net present value than the public private partnership proposed; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 13 November 2001, Official Report, column 607W. There are no cases of potential PPP projects within my department, or the former DETR, not being undertaken because the public sector comparator had a lower net present value.

English Partnerships Land Holdings

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the scale of English Partnerships land holdings is; and which proportion is earmarked for new housing in (a) Telford and (b) England.

Sally Keeble: In September 2001, English Partnerships owned a total of 5,700 hectares of land in England, 820 hectares (14 per cent.) of which was in Telford.
	Of the overall total, 970 hectares (17 per cent.) is designated for housing in planning terms (ie it either has specific planning consent or is designated as such in the local plan). In Telford, 216 hectares (3.8 per cent.) were designated for housing.

Planning Applications

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what was the average period for a planning application from date of application to decision by the local authority over the last five years. [R]

Sally Keeble: The information available from the Department is the percentages of applications for planning permission and related consents which are decided within eight weeks, between eight and 13 weeks and in more than 13 weeks. These are shown in the table.
	
		Local authority performance: England, 1996–97 to 2000–01
		
			Percentage  
			  Decisions within eight weeks Decisions in eight to 13 weeks Decisions exceeding 13 weeks 
		
		
			 1996–97 64 21 15 
			 1997–98 62 22 16 
			 1998–99 62 21 17 
			 1999–2000 63 21 16 
			 2000–01 63 20 17

Planning Applications

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the latest annual figures for the number of planning applications under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in England and Wales by (a) region, (b) the number of applications passed, (c) the number sent to appeal and (d) the number of successful appeals; and if he will provide the same figures for the previous 10 years. [R]

Sally Keeble: The information for England is in the table. Figures for Wales are not held centrally on a consistent basis and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		Thousands/percentage 
		
			  Planning applications(1) Appeals against refusal(2)  
			 Government office region Decided Granted Refused Received Decided Allowed Percentage of appeals allowed 
		
		
			 1992–93
			 North East 16.7 15.1 1.6 0.4 0.4 0.2 39 
			 North West 44.3 38.6 5.7 1.5 1.4 0.6 40 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 35.9 30.9 5.0 1.3 1.2 0.4 31 
			 East Midlands 33.4 29.2 4.2 1.2 1.1 0.4 34 
			 West Midlands 35.4 30.2 5.2 1.3 1.1 0.4 31 
			 East of England 44.5 37.8 6.7 2.1 1.9 0.6 33 
			 London 38.6 31.3 7.4 1.9 1.7 0.6 36 
			 South East 68.0 57.0 10.9 3.6 3.2 1.1 34 
			 South West 48.7 41.3 7.3 2.4 2.2 0.7 32 
			 England 365.4 311.4 54.0 15.7 14.2 4.8 34 
			   
			 1991–92
			 North East 17.3 15.5 1.9 0.5 0.4 0.1 34 
			 North West 49.3 42.0 7.3 1.8 1.6 0.6 36 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 40.9 34.4 6.5 1.6 1.4 0.4 30 
			 East Midlands 36.7 31.1 5.6 1.5 1.4 0.5 33 
			 West Midlands 39.0 32.6 6.4 1.7 1.4 0.4 30 
			 East of England 49.7 40.8 8.9 2.7 2.5 0.8 31 
			 London 42.5 33.5 9.0 2.2 2.0 0.7 35 
			 South East 74.6 60.5 14.1 4.5 4.0 1.3 33 
			 South West 54.1 44.1 10.0 3.1 2.8 0.9 32 
			 England 404.2 334.5 69.7 19.5 17.5 5.7 32 
			 
			 1990–91
			 North East 17.5 15.5 1.9 0.5 0.5 0.1 30 
			 North West 53.0 44.2 8.8 2.0 1.8 0.7 38 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 42.7 34.9 7.8 1.7 1.5 0.5 32 
			 East Midlands 40.1 33.0 7.2 1.7 1.5 0.5 33 
			 West Midlands 41.5 34.0 7.5 1.8 1.6 0.5 32 
			 East of England 55.3 43.5 11.8 3.3 2.9 0.9 32 
			 London 44.8 34.6 10.3 2.5 2.2 0.8 36 
			 South East 82.6 65.0 17.6 5.3 4.6 1.5 32 
			 South West 60.7 47.7 13.1 3.6 3.2 1.0 32 
			 England 438.3 352.4 85.9 22.4 19.7 6.5 33 
		
	
	(1) Section 70 planning applications, i.e. excludes applications for listed building, advertisement and conservation area consents.
	(2) Figures relate to the number of appeals against section 70 planning applications refused in the year, not the number of appeals received in the year

Planning Applications

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what was the average period for the consideration of an appeal to a planning application, up to a refusal to grant consent, under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 over the last five years. [R]

Sally Keeble: The provision of information on planning appeals is the responsibility of the Planning Inspectorate. I have asked the inspectorate's Chief Executive, Mr. Chris Shepley, to write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from C. J. Shepley to Richard Younger-Ross, dated 14 November 2001
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about the average time taken to determine planning appeals.
	The average times, in weeks, are:
	
		
			 Period Written representations Hearings Inquiries 
		
		
			 1996–97 22 41 45 
			 1997–98 19 35 41 
			 1998–99 16 23 32 
			 1999–2000 16 19 28 
			 2000–01 16 19 26 
			 2001–02(3) 16 20 27 
		
	
	(3) April to September

Planning Applications

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the average cost is to the Government of hearing planning appeals under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990; and what is the (a) maximum and (b) minimum cost, for each of the last five years. [R]

Sally Keeble: The Planning Inspectorate has calculated the average unit cost of processing a section 78 inquiry by written representation in each of the last five financial years to be as follows:
	
		
			 Year £ 
		
		
			 2000–01 1,188 
			 1999–2000 1,047 
			 1998–99 854 
			 1997–98 669 
			 1996–97 635 
		
	
	The Inspectorate also effects section 78 appeals through hearings and inquiries. Unit costs for these activities have only been calculated for the previous two financial years, and are as follows.
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Section 78 hearings  
			 2000–01 1,977 
			 1999–2000 2,135 
			   
			 Section 78 inquiries  
			 2000–01 5,967 
			 1999–2000 5,617 
		
	
	Current methods of recording inspectorate activity do not provide for the calculation of a minimum and maximum cost in these periods.

Speed Cameras

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which local authorities do not have (a) speed cameras and (b) plans for their early introduction.

David Jamieson: The numbers and locations of speed cameras in police force areas are not held centrally. A funding system is now available nationally that covers the cost of the purchase and operation of speed cameras and, therefore, removes the key obstacle for camera deployment. It is expected to take around two years for all police force areas wishing to join the scheme to do so.

Street Warden Funding

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which local authorities in the north-west of England were successful in bidding for Street Warden funding; and which were unsuccessful.

Sally Keeble: The Government office for the north-west received 46 Street Warden bids. Nineteen bids, totalling more than £2.9 million and benefiting each of the region's five counties, received approval.
	Organisations other than local authorities, eg housing associations, were eligible to apply under this DTLR-funded pilot scheme. The table shows the successful and unsuccessful bids, the lead agency and the bid area.
	
		
			 Lead agency Bid area 
		
		
			 Successful bids  
			 Bury MBC Whitefield 
			 Chester Community Safety Partnership Blacon and Lache 
			 City of Salford Winton and Little Hulton 
			 Collingwood Housing Association Spath Lane and Knowle Park 
			 Congleton BC Alsager 
			 Derwent and Solway Housing Association Workington 
			 Hyndburn FIRST Hyndburn 
			 Initiative Burnley Burnley 
			 Irwell Valley Housing Association Sale West and Manor Avenue Estates 
			 Lancaster City council Morecambe 
			 Liverpool Housing Trust Windmill Hill, Runcorn 
			 New East Manchester Ltd. Ancoats and Miles Platting 
			 Preston council Callon, St. Matthews and Ribbleton 
			 Riverside Housing Association Palacefields, Murdishaw, Halton Brook and Halwood Park, Runcorn 
			 South Liverpool Housing Speke and Garston 
			 Stockport MBC Stockport borough 
			 Tameside MBC Tameside 
			 Trafford MBC Lostock, Sale Moor, Broomwood 
			 Vale Royal BC Vale Royal 
			   
			 Unsuccessful bids  
			 Blackpool BCI Grange Park, Mereside and George St./Caunce St. 
			 Bolton Town Centre Ltd. Bolton 
			 Bury MBC Huntley/Topping Fold 
			 Carlisle City council Botcherby, Raffles and Petterill Bank 
			 CDS Housing Association Castlefields, Runcorn 
			 Chester Community Safety Partnership Chester 
			 Copeland BC South Whitehaven 
			 Eden BC Eden 
			 Fylde BC St. Annes, Lytham and Kirkham 
			 Groundwork Blackburn Blackburn 
			 Home Housing Association Maryport 
			 Impact Housing Association Workington 
			 Knowsley MBC Kirkby 
			 Liverpool City council North Liverpool 
			 Macclesfield BC Knutsford, Macclesfield and Wilmslow 
			 Manchester City council Manchester 
			 Manchester Housing Cheetham 
			 Metropolitan borough of Wirral Bidston, Hoylake and Rockferry 
			 Oldham council Oldham 
			 Poynton and Worth parish council Poynton 
			 Riverside Housing Association Linacre 
			 Rochdale MBC Rochdale, Middleton, Heywood and Pennines 
			 South Ribble BC South Ribble 
			 St. Helens BC West Sutton, Parr and Hardshaw and Grange Park 
			 Tranmere Housing Regeneration Partnership—Maritime Housing Association Tranmere 
			 West Lancs DC West Lancs 
			 Wigan MBC Wigan and Leigh

Polling Stations

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will review the advice to returning officers regarding conduct at polling stations to accommodate the beliefs of members of the Assembly of Yahweh.

Nick Raynsford: Guidance to returning officers on electoral procedures is now a matter for the Electoral Commission. In addition to voting at polling stations any elector may now vote by post and we are inviting local authorities at the May 2002 local elections to pilot such innovations as voting by telephone or on line.

Homelessness (West Wiltshire)

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on homelessness in west Wiltshire.

Sally Keeble: 332 households in west Wiltshire were accepted as being homeless in 2000–01. As at 31 March 2001, there were 90 households in temporary accommodation and 15 households in bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

Mobile Phone Masts

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will take steps to give local people stronger powers to block the inappropriate siting of mobile phone masts.

Sally Keeble: The changes to the planning procedures and guidance for telecommunications mast development which we introduced on 22 August this year greatly strengthen public consultation requirements on mast proposals of 15 metres and below (subject to a process of prior approval by Local Planning Authorities) so that they are the same as for planning applications. This gives local people a much better opportunity to have a say on mast proposals. Local Planning Authorities already have the ability to turn down mast applications where the do not consider amenity aspects have been adequately addressed. Our guidance also advises telecommunications operators to consult local people and Local Planning Authorities before submitting applications for masts of any size.

Formby Fire Station

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the implications of the findings of the National Joint Council on Formby Fire Station for that at Heswall.

Alan Whitehead: The Merseyside Fire and Civil Defence Authority's application for my right hon. Friend's approval, under section 19 of the Fire Services Act 1947, to change the duty system at Heswall Fire Station remains under consideration. He will not grant approval unless he is satisfied that the Authority has consulted and, on advice from HM Fire Service Inspectorate, that national standards of fire cover will be maintained.
	The National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades' Scheme of Conditions of Service provides for consideration of proposed changes in duty systems at fire stations. This is a separate procedure, but my right hon. Friend will wish to consider the implications of the recent adjudication in respect of Formby Fire Station.

Rail Services (North Kent)

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when work will begin to improve the electricity supply to allow 12-car trains to run on the North Kent rail lines.

David Jamieson: Railtrack is undertaking a review of Power Supply capability for the Southern Region and is in discussions with the Strategic Rail Authority to address the issue in relation to Mark 1 replacement.

Rail Services (North Kent)

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the railway stations in the North Kent lines that need to be lengthened to accommodate 12 car trains; and when this work will be carried out.

David Jamieson: Stations on the North Kent line which would require platform lengthening include Abbey Wood, Deptford, Erith, Gravesend, Greenhithe, Greenwich, Higham, Maze Hill, Northfleet, Plumpstead Rochester, Slade Green, Strood, Swanscombe, Westcombe Park, Woolwich Arsenal, and Woolwich Dockyard. The work to lengthen platforms is primarily dependent on the implementation of Thameslink 2000 and discussions with the incumbent franchisee.

Motorways

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will arrange for every registered keeper of a motor vehicle to be invited to take part in consultations in respect of future motorway building, improvement and widening schemes.

David Jamieson: There are a number of opportunities for registered keepers of vehicles and other road users and interested parties to take part in consultations on motorway building, improvement and widening. Public consultation takes place during studies such as the multi-modal and road-based studies, and prior to a preferred route announcement, and on the publication of draft orders. We do not propose to consult on a national scale with registered keepers of vehicles as this would not be cost effective.

Motorways

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the cost is of the consultation taking place on the future of the M1 motorway; who is carrying out the consultation process; and what safeguards are in place to ensure that the views of road-users are heard.

David Jamieson: A number of Multi-Modal Studies and Roads-Based Studies are currently being carried out which include sections of the M1 motorway within their remit. Consultation is undertaken at key stages of the studies to ensure that the views of road users, local public, businesses, environmental interests, transport users, operators and other regional interests are taken into account. The consultation process is overseen by the Study Steering Groups and carried out by the appointed consultants for each study. These arrangements ensure that road users and other interests have the opportunity to express their views.
	Final figures for the costs of consultation will not be available until the studies are completed. However, the average total cost of a study, including the cost of consultation, is approximately £1.5 million.

Departmental Service Standards

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what monitoring arrangements are in place to ensure that his Department and its agencies give prompt and proper attention to inquiries received from members of the public.

Alan Whitehead: The centre of the Department and each of its agencies have set targets for each of the "Six Service Standards for Central Government". Performance against these targets is monitored annually and published in a Cabinet Office report (copies are available in the Libraries of the House).
	Additionally, a quarterly report is presented to the Board of the Department detailing performance in handling correspondence.

Travellers

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will publish the results of research by Heriot-Watt University into the effectiveness of the Government office guidance on managing unauthorised camping by travellers; and when he will publish revised guidance.

Sally Keeble: My Department published a summary of the research findings on 2 November. A copy has been placed in the Libraries of the House. We plan to publish a revision of the current Good Practice Guide on Managing Unauthorised Camping by Gypsies and Travellers early next year.

Overcrowding (Trains)

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment his Department has made of the safety risks posed by overcrowding on trains.

David Jamieson: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Department's advisers on railways safety matters, have advised that all rolling stock is designed to operate safely even when fully loaded, and passenger loading does not affect the train's stopping performance or its structural integrity.

Train Crime

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many offences were recorded on trains from Preston to Blackpool in the most recent year for which figures are available; and how many of those were alcohol related.

David Jamieson: The British Transport Police, who are responsible for policing the railways, have provided me with the following figures. In the period between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2001, a total of 354 offences were recorded on the railway routes between Preston and Blackpool and at least 19 of these were alcohol related. These figures include offences committed on the trains and at the stations.

Train Crime

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment his Department has made of the need to control drunkenness on trains.

David Jamieson: We recognise the effect that anti-social behaviour, including drunkenness, can have on both train staff and other passengers' perceptions of their personal security. We are working with transport operators, local authorities, the police and others to improve personal security on transport, through such means as publishing good practice guidance and improving the ability of the British Transport Police (BTP) and train operators to deal with crime and anti-social behaviour. The BTP work closely with the train operators to identify hot spots of disorder. If necessary measures such as increased patrolling and special operations will be undertaken to control the problem.

Road Clearance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will introduce a mandatory requirement for highway authorities to publish a winter plan listing the roads it intends to keep clear of ice and snow.

John Spellar: The Code of Practice for Maintenance Management "Delivering Best Practice in Highway Maintenance" published on 10 July already strongly recommends that highway authorities should publish a winter service operational plan after consultation with users and key stakeholders.

Road Clearance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether highway authorities in England and Wales will continue to hold responsibility for keeping roads safe in winter through pre-salting and snow clearance.

John Spellar: The House of Lords judgment last year in the case of Goodes v. East Sussex was that there was no duty on local highway authorities under the Highways Act 1980 to prevent ice from forming on highways. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend highway authorities in England to implement winter service provisions on their roads in accordance with the Code of Practice for Maintenance Management "Delivering Best Practice in Highway Maintenance" published on 10 July.
	Guidance to highway authorities in Wales is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.

Road Clearance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will issue guidance to highway authorities in England and Wales on the importance of pre-salting roads in winter.

John Spellar: Guidance on pre-salting roads in winter is contained in the Code of Practice for Maintenance Management "Delivering Best Practice in Highway Maintenance" published on 10 July.
	Guidance to highway authorities in Wales is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.

Road Clearance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with highway authorities to take reasonable steps to pre-salt roads in winter and clear snow.

John Spellar: Highway authorities throughout the United Kingdom participated in producing the guidance on winter service contained in the Code of Practice for Maintenance Management "Delivering Best Practice in Highway Maintenance" published on 10 July.

Railtrack

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  when Ernst and Young LLP was approached about the possibility of giving advice on Railtrack;
	(2)  if he will list the (a) discussions and (b) meetings between Ernst and Young LLP and his Department on the rail industry prior to 24 August;
	(3)  what terms of reference were given to Ernst and Young LLP on their engagement by his Department to advise on possible options for Railtrack.

John Spellar: The possibility of Ernst and Young LLP giving advice on Railtrack was first discussed at a meeting on 23 August. They were appointed on 24 August. On engagement, their remit was to provide advice on the general process of administration; and accountancy advice on possible options for Railtrack.

Railtrack

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will deposit in the Library a list of all the stations owned by Railtrack and their estimated value.

David Jamieson: My Department does not hold this information.

Railtrack

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he ordered the drafting of legislation (a) prior to and (b) following his meeting with the Rail Regulator on 5 October to remove the power from the Regulator to hold an interim financial review.

David Jamieson: Details of internal communications are exempt from disclosure under section 2 of Part II of the code of practice on access to government information.

Railtrack

Douglas Hogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when, after 1 August, his Department received advice from the Treasury that it was unlikely that additional public funding for Railtrack would be approved.

John Spellar: holding answer 9 November 2001
	I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 13 November 2001, Official Report, columns 723–35.

No-fly Zones

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many instances there have been in each year since 1991 of (i) commercial and (ii) privately operated aircraft accidentally breaching no-fly zones over (a) nuclear power plants, (b) nuclear reprocessing plants, (c) nuclear fuel production plants, (d) uranium enrichment plants and (e) military nuclear plants.

David Jamieson: Since 1991, there have been four reported breaches of the restricted airspace around military nuclear plants (one in each of 1993, 1995, 1996 and 2000). There have been also two reported breaches of the restrictions around Sellafield (one in 1993 and 1999), which is both a nuclear reprocessing and fuel production plant.

Car Registration Revenue

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much has been raised in each year since 1998 from the first licence fee payable at the first registration of a new car.

David Jamieson: The fee for the first registration of vehicles in the UK was introduced on 1 April 1998. The amounts raised each year since 1998 are £67,654k, £68,573k and 70,503k respectively.

Fire Services (Merseyside)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will call for a report from Her Majesty's Fire Services Inspectorate on management practices in the Merseyside Fire Authority and their impact on the delivery of fire services.

Alan Whitehead: HM Fire Service Inspectorate has recently conducted an inspection of the Merseyside Fire Service. The report will be published in due course.

Fire Services (Merseyside)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the recommendations in the National Joint Council report on the staffing arrangements proposals put forward by Merseyside Fire Authority.

Alan Whitehead: The National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades' Scheme of Conditions of Service provides for consideration of proposed changes in duty systems at fire stations. This is a separate procedure to the requirements of section 19 of the Fire Services Act 1947 in respect of variations to a fire authority's establishment. My right hon. Friend will, however, wish to consider the implications of the recent adjudication in respect of Formby Fire Station.

Central Railway

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will place in the Library the report he received from the Strategic Rail Authority on the proposed lorries-on- trains freight railway put forward by Central Railway plc.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 23 October 2001, Official Report, column 200W.

Terrorism

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of the events of 11 September on insurance premiums to be paid by local authorities.

Alan Whitehead: holding answer 12 November 2001
	We are working with local government in assessing all new and increasing pressures on local authorities as part of SR2002. The LGA has identified insurance premiums as an area which it wants, to look at during the review.

London Underground

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if London Underground is a member of the COMET international metro benchmarking network; and what are the rules under which information the network collects can be published.

David Jamieson: holding answer 13 November 2001
	I understand that London Underground is a member of the COMET international metro benchmarking network. The rules under which it collects and publishes information are a matter for COMET.

London Underground

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what was the average rate of staff absenteeism among London Underground (a) drivers and (b) station staff in each year from 1991.

David Jamieson: holding answer 13 November 2001
	London Underground has provided the following information showing the percentage absenteeism rate:
	
		
			 Calendar year Train staff(4) Station staff 
		
		
			 1991 5.39 10.13 
			 1992 5.09 7.94 
			 1993 6.60 7.23 
			 1994 5.61 6.36 
			 1995 5.41 7.16 
			 1996 5.16 6.15 
			 1997 5.64 6.71 
			 1998 5.22 6.43 
			 1999 5.83 6.39 
			 2000 7.23 7.17 
		
	
	(4) Includes guards

Bus Services

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the next issue of the Bus Quality Indicators Bulletin will be published.

Stephen Byers: holding answer 13 November 2001
	My Department intends to publish the next issue of the Bus Quality Indicators Bulletin in January 2002.

Departmental Public Relations

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what are the terms of the brief given to the Finsbury Public Relations firm in relation to his Department's relations with the City;
	(2)  when he decided to employ Roland Rudd of Finsbury Public Relations to advise on his Department's relations with the City;
	(3)  what the expected monthly cost is to his Department of the cost of employing Finsbury Public Relations.

David Jamieson: holding answer 13 November 2001
	Finsbury Public Relations are not employed by DTLR.

Council Tenants (Cash Incentive Scheme)

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many council tenants in England have taken advantage of cash incentive scheme payments in order to buy a home in the private sector in 2000–01; what restrictions there are on the amount of grant that may be made available in (a) Poole and (b) London and the South East; and what the maximum amount of grant allowed is, as a proportion of average house prices in (a) and (b).

Sally Keeble: 827 Cash Incentive Scheme grants have been made to council tenants in England in 2000–01 to buy their own home.
	The maximum grant in Poole is £10,000 which equates to around 7 per cent. of average house prices in the area.
	The maximum grant payable in London and the south east is 80 per cent. of the average Right to Buy Discount in the authority in question. The limit on the overall RTB discount in those regions is £38,000. 80 per cent. of the £38,000 is £30,400. This equates to around 20 per cent. of average house prices in London and the south east.

Planning Guidance (Flooding)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with the Environment Agency regarding planning policy guidance on building in areas subject to flooding.

Sally Keeble: The Chairman and Chief Executive of the Environment Agency have had three recent meetings with Ministers in this Department that included discussion of a range of issues, including planning and flooding.
	In addition, officials meet and discuss regularly with their colleagues in the Environment Agency the implementation and effectiveness of the planning policy guidance on "Development and flood risk" published in July 2001.

Planning Guidance (Flooding)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what criteria he uses to determine the calling in of planning applications, with specific reference to development in the flood plains.

Sally Keeble: My right hon. Friend's policy on calling in planning applications remains as stated by the then Minister for Planning on 16 June 1999, Official Report, column 138W. His policy is to be very selective about calling in planning applications. He will, in general, only take this step if planning issues of more than local importance are involved.
	With specific reference to development on flood plains, such cases could include, for example, those which, in his opinion:
	significantly conflict with national policies as expressed in Planning Policy Guidance Note 25 on "Development and flood risk";
	could have significant effects on flooding beyond their immediate locality; or
	give rise to substantial regional or national controversy.
	Each case will continue to be treated on its merits. However, the maintenance by the Environment Agency of an objection on a flood-risk ground to significant development proposals in flood plains would clearly influence the decision whether or not to call in an application. Call-in would be more likely if there was any evidence that the Agency's objection was likely to be over-ruled by the local planning authority without sufficient counter-balancing reasons having been taken into account.

Ebley Wharf

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish the reasons for the decision not to call in the planning application of Ebley Wharf in Stroud.

Sally Keeble: No. The Government's policy is not to give reasons for decisions in cases where the Secretary of State has declined to intervene in particular planning applications.

Social Housing Provision

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what level of social housing provision there was in each of the last 10 years.

Sally Keeble: Estimates of the stock of social housing in England in the latest 10 years for which data are available are given in the table. Social dwellings include houses and flats owned by registered social landlords and by council.
	
		Numbers of social dwellings
		
			  Thousand  
			 Year Social dwellings 
		
		
			 1 April 1991 4,507 
			 1 April 1992 4,490 
			 1 April 1993 4,474 
			 1 April 1994 4,445 
			 1 April 1995 4,421 
			 1 April 1996 4,412 
			 1 April 1997 4,390 
			 1 April 1998 4,358 
			 1 April 1999 4,340 
			 1 April 2000 4,290

Ministerial Meetings

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish the minutes of his meeting with the Rail Regulator on 5 October.

David Jamieson: Details of internal communications are exempt from disclosure under section 2 of Part II of the code of practice on access to government information.

Electoral Commission

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress has been made on the transfer of the functions of the Local Government Commission for England to the Electoral Commission; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: I have today laid a draft of an Order which, subject to parliamentary approval, I intend to make under section 18 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act to provide for the transfer of functions of the Local Government Commission for England, together with the associated functions of the Secretary of State on electoral arrangements, to the Electoral Commission with effect from 1 April 2002. Our aim is to secure a well, planned transfer which avoids any disruption to the current programme of periodic electoral reviews being undertaken by the LGC or to the work programme of the Electoral Commission.

DEFENCE

Departmental Spending

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total expenditure was on (a) advertising, (b) polling, (c) focus groups, (d) design consultants, (e) caterers, (f) production of departmental publications and (g) photographs/photographers by his Department for each year since 1995 in (i) cash and (ii) real terms; what was (A) the annual percentage increase in spending on each category and (B) spending on each category as a percentage of the total departmental running costs; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. I am therefore unable to provide a substantive answer under the terms of exemption 9 (voluminous and vexatious requests) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	However, a breakdown of the Ministry of Defence's public relations' expenditure is published in the annual Departmental Performance Report, broken down into categories of RN, Army, RAF and civilian recruitment, PR, marketing and business support services, Chief of PR, sales promotion, scholarships and National Employers' Liaison Committee.
	The Government are committed to using only whatever channel is judged to be the most cost-effective way to deliver the publicity necessary to support the implementation of policy. Paid advertising is resorted to only after careful consideration of the cost benefits.

Defence Medical Services

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make statement on the quinquennial review of Defence Medical Services.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 17 October 2001, Official Report, column 1224W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Great Yarmouth (Mr. Wright). A quinquennial review of the Defence Medical Agencies and some other aspects of defence medical arrangements is currently under way. The first phase of the review has been completed and a summary has been placed in the Library of the House.

Defence Medical Services

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Brigadier Tim Taylor's report on Deployable Medical Capability will be complete; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

Adam Ingram: We are currently, as part of our normal routine, undertaking work to develop options on how to provide and deliver an effective and efficient future medical capability required to deploy in support of operations. A report on this work will be produced for internal planning purposes during autumn next year.

Defence Medical Services

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place a copy of the report, "Defence Medical Services, Strategy for the Future", in the Library.

Lewis Moonie: The work undertaken, in the wake of the Strategic Defence Review, on a strategy for resolving problems facing the Defence Medical Services, constitutes internal discussion and advice and is withheld from publication under exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. A summary of the findings entitled "The Defence Medical Services—A Strategy for the Future" was placed in the Library of the House in December 1998.

Gibraltar

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the strategic role of Gibraltar.

Adam Ingram: Gibraltar has been and continues to be an important overseas base for the British Armed Forces, and contains valuable support, logistic, communications and training facilities.

Nuclear Bunker, Cotswolds

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with English Heritage over conferring listed status to the former Government's nuclear control and operations bunker in the Cotswolds.

Lewis Moonie: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Eurofighter

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he made of the effect of the removal of the cannon from the Eurofighter on the RAF's future capability to deter civilian aircraft from hazardous flight paths; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Eurofighter will be equipped with highly capable air-to-air missiles. We do not consider that the absence of a cannon from Eurofighter will have any material effect on the ability of the RAF to deter civilian aircraft from hazardous flight paths.

Afghanistan

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what military airlift provision is directed to delivering aid to Afghanistan.

Adam Ingram: Three coalition C-17 aircraft are directed to delivering aid to Afghanistan. They have been flying nightly since the start of the campaign and, so far, have delivered approximately 1.3 million humanitarian daily rations.

Search and Rescue Helicopters

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to provide search and rescue services through a private finance initiative when the helicopters used in SAR operations are replaced.

Adam Ingram: The existing Sea King fleet (which includes the Search and Rescue aircraft) is due to be replaced in 2010–15. A full range of potential strategies are being evaluated to meet the search and rescue requirement, one of which is the potential for Public-Private Partnership/Private Finance Initiative.

Arms Trafficking

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the annual report on the implementation of the EU joint action, of 17 December 1998, on the European Union's contribution to combating the destabilising accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons (199/34/CFSP) and the EU programme on illicit trafficking in conventional arms of June 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government had an opportunity to comment on the draft of the annual report on the implementation of the EU joint action, of 17 December 1998, on the European Union's contribution to combating the destabilising accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons (1999/34/CFSP) and the EU programme on illicit trafficking in conventional arms of June 1997, as did all other EU member states. The report is entirely consistent with the Government's policy on Small Arms and Light Weapons. It provides a detailed account of action taken by EU member states at the national level and in international forums to combat the dangerous proliferation of small arms. The report also sets out priorities for a more systematic approach to EU assistance in this crucial area of work. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office submitted the report for parliamentary scrutiny on 14 June.
	The Government are committed to tackling the scourge of small arms proliferation. The need to eradicate the illicit trade in small arms has a particular urgency in the context of the war against terrorism. The annual report predates the first ever UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, held in New York in July 2001. The Conference adopted a Programme of Action which commits States politically to put in place export control mechanisms, measures to ensure small arms traceability and to control brokers, and to destroy surplus weapons. There will be a Review Conference in 2006. It is vital that countries sustain the political momentum built up at the Conference to implement the programme of Action. The UK will continue to co-operate with our EU partners, within the framework of the EU's Joint Action on Small Arms and the EU Programme on Illicit Trafficking, to address these issues as a matter of priority.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Zimbabwe

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Zimbabwe about terrorist acts against landowners.

Ben Bradshaw: We regularly raise our concerns with the Government of Zimbabwe on continuing rural violence and the breakdown in the rule of law. At Abuja on 6 September, the Government of Zimbabwe made a commitment to end occupations of farm land and to remove illegal occupiers. My noble Friend Baroness Amos accompanied Commonwealth partners to Zimbabwe on 25–26 October, to assess implementation of the Abuja Agreement and to urge the Government to abide by their commitments.

Zimbabwe

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of sanctions which could be imposed by (a) the UK and (b) the Commonwealth against the Zimbabwe Government.

Ben Bradshaw: The UK introduced a national arms embargo on Zimbabwe in May 2000. The UK is working closely with EU partners on Zimbabwe. At the 29 October General Affairs Council, EU Ministers decided to open Article 96 consultations with the Government of Zimbabwe. This gives Zimbabwe 60 days to address EU concerns. Any action by the Commonwealth is a matter for the Commonwealth as a whole.

International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department has given to the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague in connection with the recent trials of Bosnian Serbs.

Peter Hain: The Government are committed to assisting the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in its aim of bringing justice and stability to the peoples of the region. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office contributes through the United Nations to the running expenses of the Tribunal and, together with other Government Departments, provides practical assistance in personnel and expertise. Where we provide material or witnesses in connection with a trial, this is done in accordance with established standards and practices agreed between the Government and the Tribunal.
	The Government provide assistance to the Tribunal in all cases, regardless of the ethnicity of the accused.

Israel (British-made Military Components)

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether British-made components are being used in the Israeli-occupied territories by the Israeli Defence Force on (a) Apache helicopters, (b) Merkava tanks, (c) Huey helicopters, (d) armoured personnel carriers and (e) F16 jets; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: We have no evidence that equipment or components manufactured in the UK and licensed for export by this Government have been used by Israeli forces against civilians in the occupied territories during the recent and continuing violence. We would be concerned if such evidence came to light.
	We look at all export licence applications to Israel on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated National and EU criteria, taking careful account in each case of the nature of the equipment and the proposed end-use and end-user in light of the circumstance prevailing at the time. This means inter alia we will not issue licences where there is a clear risk that the equipment might be used in internal repression, international aggression, adversely affect regional stability or prolong internal conflict. We are keeping the situation under close review.

Israel (British-made Military Components)

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the system for monitoring the end-use of British-made military components and equipment exported to Israel.

Ben Bradshaw: We are keeping the situation under close review. We have no evidence that equipment manufactured in the UK and licensed for export by this Government has been used by Israeli forces against civilians in the occupied territories during the recent and continuing violence. We would be concerned if such evidence came to light.
	We use information supplied by a number of sources to check that British equipment is not being used against Palestinians in the occupied territories, including information gathered by our embassy and non- Governmental organisations, among others. We have received an assurance from the Israeli Government that no UK manufactured equipment or components are used against Palestinian civilians in the occupied territories.

Overseas Territories (Reciprocal Rights)

David Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which overseas territories have agreed to offer reciprocal rights for UK citizens to work and reside in UK territories.

Ben Bradshaw: None. The grant of British citizenship to British Dependent Territories citizens from qualifying Territories who do not already enjoy it, will be on a non-reciprocal basis.

Overseas Prisoner Repatriated

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK nationals detained in overseas prisons have been repatriated to the UK in the last 12 months.

Ben Bradshaw: Since 1 November 2000, 38 British nationals detained in prisons overseas have been repatriated to the United Kingdom.

Afghanistan

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Her Majesty's Government have to provide economic compensation to surviving family members of non-combatant civilians killed by accident by allied munitions used in the conflict in Afghanistan.

Ben Bradshaw: UK military operations are conducted in accordance with international law. Compensation for any casualties as a result of action undertaken in accordance with those requirements would be inappropriate.

Afghanistan

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what resolution he proposed on Afghanistan at the session of the UN Security Council on Tuesday 13 November.

Ben Bradshaw: On 13 November, a UK/French draft Security Council resolution on the future of Afghanistan was circulated among Security Council members. The draft will be discussed in informal consultations of the Security Council today. We hope the resolution will be adopted by the Security Council as soon as possible. A copy of the agreed resolution will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Afghanistan

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent decision by the EU to lift the arms embargo on the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan.

Peter Hain: The EU (Common Position 96/746/CFSP) imposed an embargo on the export of arms to Afghanistan. In December 2000, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1333, which imposed a mandatory arms embargo only on the territory of Afghanistan under Taliban control. On 5 November the EU embargo was brought into line with the mandatory UN embargo (Common Position 2001/771/CFSP).

Vietnam

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the case of Miss Truong Vy Pham, Hanoi (Ref. P402281).

Ben Bradshaw: It is not our policy to comment on individual visa cases in a public forum. I will write to my hon. Friend shortly.

Biological Weapons Convention

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what his Department's policy is on the establishment of national oversight mechanisms for (a) security and (b) genetic engineering of pathogenic organisms;
	(2)  what plans he has with regard to the development of a code of ethical conduct for bioscientists;
	(3)  what United Nations procedures exist for investigating (a) suspicious outbreaks and (b) allegations of biological weapons use;
	(4)  what plans he has for the promotion of responsible conduct in the (a) study, (b) use, (c) modification and (d) shipment of pathogenic organisms;
	(5)  what proposals his Department has (a) to improve international disease control and (b) to enhance mechanisms for sending expert response teams to cope with outbreaks.

Ben Bradshaw: These are among a number of new ideas intended to complement the implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). We have been discussing these and other options with other States Parties since the end of the negotiations on a BWC Protocol in August. All are at an early stage of development. We expect them to be further discussed at the 5th Review Conference of the BWC in Geneva (19 November to 7 December). We welcome proposals that have been made for practical and effective measures to meet the biological weapons threat. We hope that these can be agreed at the Conference.

Biological Weapons Convention

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with its United States counterparts with regard to the United States' recent proposals to strengthen the biological and toxic weapons convention.

Ben Bradshaw: We are in frequent contact with the United States, and other States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention, on our respective ideas for strengthening the Convention. The Foreign Secretary discussed the subject with the US Secretary of State during his visit to Washington in October.

Biological Weapons Convention

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on his Department's policy at the forthcoming biological and toxic weapons convention Review Conference;
	(2)  what steps he will take to ensure that international progress towards the strengthening of the biological and toxic weapons convention is sustained following the BTWC Review Conference.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham Deptford (Joan Ruddock) on 13 November 2001, Official Report, column 668W.

Government Wine Cellar

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the number of bottles of (a) wine and (b) other alcoholic beverages contained within the Government wine cellar, managed by his Department; what his estimate is of the value of the Government wine cellar; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: The Government Wine Cellar contains a mixture of fine wines, reception or drinking wines and spirits and liqueurs. Stock levels vary according to the number of Government functions at any given time. Generally the cellar contains approximately 37,000 bottles, the majority of which are wine. The value of the stock is subjective, depending on the vagaries on the wine market, and bears no relation to the purchase costs. The current value is estimated to be in the region of £1.5 million.

SCOTLAND

Prestwick Air Traffic Control Centre

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the most recent projection of the number of jobs that would be created by the completion of the new air traffic control centre at Prestwick airport is.

Helen Liddell: holding answer 22 October 2001
	NATS staff will transfer from the existing centre at Prestwick to the new centre when it is completed. It is not anticipated that any new jobs will be created by the completion of the project. There will be some additional short-term employment opportunities during the construction and commissioning phase.

Prestwick Air Traffic Control Centre

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the projected capital cost of the proposed new air traffic control centre at Prestwick airport is; and how much of this budget had been spent as at 16 October.

Helen Liddell: holding answer 22 October 2001
	Although construction of the new air traffic control centre at Prestwick is being deferred, contracts for the design of the building and initial site works are in progress and will be completed. The value of these contracts is a commercial matter between NATS and the contractors. Construction of the building and the design and installation of equipment systems will be subject to a competitive procurement process, which will determine the total costs of the new centre.

Prestwick Air Traffic Control Centre

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial assistance the Government allocated for the building of the new air traffic control centre at Prestwick airport (a) before and (b) following the confirmation of a delay.

Helen Liddell: The Government have not made any allocation of financial assistance for the new air traffic control centre at Prestwick.

Prestwick Air Traffic Control Centre

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent assessment the Government have made of the delay in building the new air traffic control centre at Prestwick on (a) Ayrshire's economy and (b) local unemployment.

Helen Liddell: Recent changes to airline operations and consequent reductions in air traffic has led to temporary deferral of work to create the new air traffic control centre at Prestwick. Air traffic control services for Scottish and North Atlantic airspace will continue to be provided by NATS staff from the existing centre at Prestwick. The main effect on the local economy of deferring work on the new centre will be to delay creation of short-term employment opportunities on the construction and commissioning of the new centre. The Government remain closely in touch with the industry with a view to securing the shortest possible delay.

Prestwick Air Traffic Control Centre

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many meetings she has had with the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions regarding the delay in building of the new air traffic control centre at Prestwick.

Helen Liddell: I have regular discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on a wide range of transport issues which affect Scotland, including matters relating to the new air traffic centre at Prestwick.
	My hon. Friend the Minister of State, Scotland Office will shortly meet the Minister for Transport to discuss a number of items including the new NATS centre at Prestwick.

Scottish Executive

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what her policy is regarding consultations prior to the publication of proposals involving the transfer of powers to the Scottish Executive by (a) primary legislation and (b) order in Council.

Helen Liddell: Any transfer of powers to the Scottish Executive takes place following agreement between the Administrations. If conferred by primary legislation, by convention the Scottish Executive first seeks the approval of the Scottish Parliament. If by secondary legislation, the order follows the procedures set out in the Scotland Act, such orders require approval by both Houses of Parliament and also the Scottish Parliament.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Al-Jazeera

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what arrangements are in place for the al-Jazeera television station to be broadcast in this country with English subtitles; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: Al-Jazeera is an Arabic language channel aimed at Arab-speaking communities across a wide geographic area. English subtitling would be an editorial matter for the channel to consider.

Lottery Grants (Morley and Rothwell)

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications for lottery grants have been made, in each year since 1997, by organisations and individuals based in Morley and Rothwell constituency.

Richard Caborn: Comprehensive information on applications for lottery grants is not centrally held at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Football Dispute

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with (a) the Premier League and (b) the Professional Footballers Association regarding the dispute between the two bodies; what role her Department can play in resolving the dispute; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State nor I have discussed this issue with the Premier League or the Professional Footballers Association (PFA). Although the Government hope that a satisfactory settlement may be reached without the need for industrial action, the dispute must be resolved through a free process of negotiation. My Department has no plans to intervene.

Football Clubs (Financial Support)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many football clubs have received financial support from Sport UK in the last 12 months.

Richard Caborn: None. UK Sport does not provide funding for football. UK Sport's support for training, competition and coaching facilities for elite sports people is, in the main, provided to UK-wide governing bodies. In view of the administrative structure of football in the UK, applications for lottery funding from the sport's clubs and governing bodies are made to Sport England, or to its equivalents in the other home nations.

Elite Sports Funding Review

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to implement the findings of the Cunningham report; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The Elite Sports Funding Review chaired by Dr. Cunningham identified over 40 recommendations, many of which are for the Sports Councils and National Governing Bodies of sport to take forward. The current position of the Sports Councils in respect of the recommendations was presented at the recent Sports Cabinet meeting. They have accepted and are implementing the overwhelming majority of the recommendations. The Government will provide their detailed response to the report in due course.

Sport England

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the funding and role for Sport England within the regions.

Richard Caborn: Sport England's future role in the regions, which will include arrangements for the distributions of funding, is one of the issues being considered in the current quinquennial review of Sport England.

Sport England

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what resources were available to Sport England from (a) the Exchequer and (b) the lottery in each region in each of the last two years.

Richard Caborn: Sport England's allocation of grant in aid for 2000–01 was £38 million and for 2001–02 is £43.2 million. The budget for each region is set out in the table.
	
		£000 
		
			 Region 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 North East 886 1,169 
			 Yorkshire 1,105 1,528 
			 East Midlands 1,096 1,340 
			 East 1,180 1,314 
			 London 1,301 1,694 
			 South East 2,014 2,215 
			 South West 1,139 1,413 
			 West Midlands 1,161 1,537 
			 North West 1,365 1,801 
		
	
	Sport England's income from the National Lottery for 2000–01 was £223.5 million and the forecast income for 2001–02 is £214,233 million. The total amounts awarded in each region are set out in the table:
	
		£000 
		
			 Region 2000–01 2001–02(5) 
		
		
			 North East 11,853 5,573 
			 Yorkshire 30,048 3,920 
			 East Midlands 21,606 12,484 
			 East 9,750 6,696 
			 London 16,880 16,056 
			 South East 28,227 7,962 
			 South West 18,561 8,658 
			 West Midlands 14,612 3,132 
			 North West 21,168 7,093 
		
	
	(5) At November 2001

Sports Schools and Colleges

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the role of her Department in the development of specialist sports schools and colleges; and what help it is giving to the development of the Sports Co-ordinator Programme.

Richard Caborn: The Department works in partnership with the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) on aspects of the development of Specialist Sports Colleges. The Department sits on the management board of the School Sport Co-ordinator programme which is run by our sponsored body, Sport England.

Sports (Community Development)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she plans to take and with which other Government Departments she is co-operating in order to enhance community development in relation to sport.

Richard Caborn: I chair monthly meetings bringing together Ministerial colleagues from the Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Health with Sport England to make sure that the potential of sport to drive forward the wider Government agenda is realised. My officials and I are working closely with our colleagues in DLTR on sports planning and regeneration issues, most notably the redrafting of PPG 17, which will be the strengthened framework in which the provision of sports facilities will be delivered. Because we recognise the potential of sport as a means of improving health, diverting young people from crime, drugs and antisocial behaviour and engaging disaffected learners in education and employment we are working jointly with the Department for Education and Skills, the Department of Health, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Home Office to ensure that people of all ages in our communities benefit fully from sport development opportunities and initiatives.

Sports (Participation)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how her Department measures participation rates in sport; and what information she collates on (a) an age related and (b) a regional basis.

Richard Caborn: Adult (aged 16+) rates of sports participation are measured through the General Household Survey (GHS), a continuous survey carried out by the Office for National Statistics across Great Britain. Questions relating to sport are included on the survey once every three years, the last being 1996 and the next being due 2002 (in 1999, the GHS was not carried out).
	Sport England has also measured participation rates for adults with disabilities (carried out in 2000–01) and for people from Black and Ethnic minority communities (carried out in 1999) through specially commissioned large-scale surveys using the same methodology and questions used in the GHS.
	Ages of participants can be analysed in a variety of ways, as respondents are asked their actual age. Overall participation rates can also be reported at a regional level.
	Participation by young people is measured in Sport England's Survey of Young People which has now been carried out twice (1994 and 1999). The survey, which in 1999 was carried out by MORI on behalf of Sport England, is school based and involves a representative sample of around 4,000 young people aged six to 16 across England. This survey also enables analysis by age. Sport England has also undertaken a large scale survey of young people with disabilities using the same sports participation questions as in the wider 1999 survey (carried out in 2000).

Sports (Co-ordination)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had to ensure that there is greater co-ordination within different sports at (a) international, (b) national, (c) regional and (d) local levels.

Richard Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no recent discussions to ensure greater co-ordination within different sports at the various levels. However, she is aware that the Sports Councils work closely with the national governing bodies of sport continually to examine improved methods of co-ordination across all sports and all levels.

Sports (Rural Regeneration)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the role of sport in regeneration, with specific reference to rural areas.

Richard Caborn: The Government fully recognise the important role that sport can play in the regeneration of both urban and rural areas and in addressing a whole range of social issues such as better health, reduced crime and social inclusion. Both the report of Policy Action Team 10 and the Government's Plan for Sport highlight how sport can be used to tackle neighbourhood renewal, social exclusion and community development. Among the initiatives included in the plan are the creation of the Community Sport Alliance which brings together key stakeholders of all levels to identify the key challenges facing sport in the community; the promotion of sport in regional policy making through contributions to the work of regional agencies such as the Regional Cultural Consortiums; and ensuring that equity principles are at the heart of all the Government's and Sport England's policies for the promotion and development of sport. In particular the Policy Directions issued to Sport England in respect of the distribution of the Lottery Sports Fund require it, in deciding applications for funding, to have regard to the scope for reducing economic and social deprivation, the need to promote access to sport for people from all sections of society and the need to further the objectives of sustainable development taking into account social and community progress and employment opportunities created by sports projects. Sport England has also introduced a number of other specific initiatives aimed at the regeneration of deprived areas including Sport Action Zones, one of which is Cornwall, its Priority Areas Initiative and the establishment of a Regeneration Policy Advisory Group.

Playing Fields

Nick Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Minister for Sport's answer to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath on 5 November 2001, Official Report, column 4, what was the basis of the analysis her Department used for the calculation of numbers of playing fields disposed of during the period 1992 to 1997.

Richard Caborn: Public concern about the loss of school playing fields led directly to the introduction in October 1998 of section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. Before section 77 was introduced, only grant-maintained schools were required to seek consent from the Secretary of State before selling land, including areas of their playing fields. Local authorities and other schools that owned their own playing fields were free to sell without restriction. The then Department for Education and Employment estimated that an average of 40 playing fields a month were sold in this way before October 1998. Their estimate is based on the number of playing field disposals at grant-maintained schools between April 1996, when the previous Government further encouraged the disposal of playing fields by relaxing the Local Authority Capital Finance Regulations which governed the use of sale proceeds, and 1 October 1998, when section 77 took effect. During this 30-month period, some 64 grant-maintained schools were given approval to dispose of areas of playing field, which is an average of over two a month. Using the proportion of grant-maintained schools at that time compared with the number of other schools, the Department for Education and Skills estimate the total number of playing field disposals each month to have been around 40.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Fireworks

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what plans she has to heighten public awareness of (a) the dangers of fireworks and (b) the effects of fireworks on animals;
	(2)  what plans she has to restrict the decibel level of fireworks;
	(3)  what plans she has to review firework legislation; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  what control the Government have over fireworks bought on the internet; and if she will make a statement;
	(5)  what plans she has to restrict the use of fireworks to a limited time period.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 24 October 2001
	The Department has recently launched this year's fireworks safety campaign informing the public of the dangers posed by fireworks. The theme of this year's campaign, is to urge children and young people to take care when using or being near fireworks. As part of the campaign, around 2,000 information packs to help mount local safety campaigns have been distributed to trading standards, fire brigades, health promotion units, environmental health officers and police forces. In addition over 25,000 special information packs have been distributed for use in schools.
	The public is warned of the effects of fireworks on animals through the fireworks code, which advises pet owners to keep pets indoors. Each pack of fireworks on sale contains a copy of the code.
	Fireworks on sale in the United Kingdom are required under the Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997 to adhere to British Standards BS 7114 which restrict the size and weight of fireworks. I have no plans to change this at present, although we are involved in the proposed European Standard which is likely to specify sound levels for certain fireworks.
	We have no plans to restrict the use of fireworks to a limited time period. The working of regulations safeguards is kept under regular review.
	United Kingdom based firework companies selling over the internet are subject to the provisions of the Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997.

Fireworks

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department has taken to reduce accidents from fireworks.

Melanie Johnson: The comprehensive measures introduced under the Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997 are again being supplemented by a robust, targeted firework safety campaign. The measures include controls on the types and size of fireworks which can be sold to the public, and prohibiting sales to those under 18 years of age.
	The emphasis of this year's campaign, is that children and young people should take care when using or being near fireworks. As part of the campaign, around 2,000 information packs to help mount local safety campaigns have been distributed to trading standards, fire brigades, health promotion units, environmental health officers and police forces. In addition over 25,000 special information packs have been distributed for use in schools.

Fireworks

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many reported incidents involving injuries with fireworks in each of the last five years have involved (a) minors and (b) adults as the alleged perpetrators of the incidents in (i) Scotland and (ii) the UK;
	(2)  how many reported incidents involving injuries with fireworks in each of the last five years have involved (a) minors and (b) adults as victims of the incidents in (i) Scotland and (ii) the UK.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 8 November 2001
	The following data were collected from Accident and Emergency Departments in Great Britain over the firework season. Data are collected separately by the Department of Health in Northern Ireland. These figures are recorded cases of accidental injury involving fireworks. We have no statistics relating to alleged perpetrators of incidents.
	
		
			   Scotland  England and Wales  
			 Year Under 18 Over 18 Under 18 Over 18 
		
		
			 2000 49 19 508 396 
			 1999 45 37 549 425 
			 1998 47 13 414 353 
			 1997 35 22 439 412 
			 1996 61 24 647 501

Fireworks

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further plans she has to regulate the sale and use of fireworks for purposes other than organised displays.

Melanie Johnson: We have no plans further to regulate the sale and use of fireworks.

Coal

Kevin Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the circumstances in which she will accept continued state aid from the EU for the UK coal industry.

Brian Wilson: The EU must approve state aid paid by the Government to the UK coal industry, but it does not itself pay such aid.
	The DTI is currently reviewing the rationale for the business support it gives, and so it would be premature to give a definitive view on the circumstances in which we would continue to subsidise the UK coal industry. However, as a general principle we would need to be convinced that the benefits of continued subsidy (for example in energy supply, economic or social terms) would outweigh the costs of that subsidy.

Manufacturing

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she has taken to support the competitiveness of British manufacturing since 7 June.

Brian Wilson: We are strengthening assistance to manufacturing industry through our increased support for the regional development agencies to raise innovation, enterprise and skills. We are taking forward the announced initiative to provide a manufacturing advisory service, based on provision of services on a regional basis. We are also introducing measures to help workers develop their skills and increase their prospects of finding new, better employment if they lose their jobs. These and other issues will be discussed at the manufacturing summit in Birmingham on 5 December.

Manufacturing

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures have been undertaken by her Department since 1997 to assist British manufacturing.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 12 November 2001
	Since 1997 we have established a favourable macro- economic framework to ensure the future competitiveness of British manufacturing. We have built on this support with policies to foster productivity and help firms innovate and grow. We have established regional development agencies to raise innovation, enterprise and skills in every region. We are improving university and industry links to bring new products and processes in key industrial sectors to market. We are helping established industries to modernise through adopting best practice in production and supply chain management. We have strengthened the knowledge base for manufacturing through increased investment in the science infrastructure. We are creating a manufacturing advisory service, based on a centre for excellence in every region to help firms to innovate and improve their productivity. We are also introducing measures to help workers develop their skills and increase their prospects of finding new, better employment if they lose their jobs.

Electricity Trading Arrangements

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the new electricity trading arrangements.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 30 October 2001
	Ofgem published on 31 August a review of NETA's performance over the first three months. Their key findings were that:
	Wholesale electricity prices are 20–25 per cent. below prices that would have been produced under the pool.
	Market liquidity has been established with a threefold increase in the volume of trades, and a doubling of the number of contracts struck compared to this time last year under the pool.
	The National Grid Company is working well to keep the electricity system in balance. Its daily costs of balancing the system have halved, which will also benefit customers.
	In a competitive market, we expect changes in wholesale prices to feed through to final customers. Domestic customers are seeing lower electricity prices with prices down by around three per cent. as are industrial customers with prices down around 11 per cent. We expect that further prices reductions will take place as wholesale prices feed through fully.
	The impact of NETA on smaller generators continues to be a concern. Ofgem also published a report on the impact of NETA on smaller generators in the first two months of its operation. This report highlighted the areas where further action was needed to assist smaller generators. A consultation document was issued on 1 November 2001 aimed at addressing these concerns.

BSkyB

Jackie Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the initial findings of the Office of Fair Trading's inquiry into BSkyB's position in the pay TV market will be made public.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 2 November 2001
	The conduct of Competition Act inquiries and the publication of their findings are a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading.

Gas Prices

Jonathan R Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the effect of increased gas prices on (a) the expansion of combined heat and power plants and (b) future emissions targets.

Brian Wilson: The DTI's energy projections published in November 2000 included projections of CHP capacity based on assumptions about future oil and gas prices. Those assumptions are still reasonable in the longer term but the Government recognise that high gas prices this year have reduced substantially the attractiveness of investment in new CHP plant in the short term. The Government remain committed to their CHP target of at least 10,000 MWe capacity by 2010, as well as their emission targets. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will be issuing a draft CHP strategy in the coming months that will set out how the target will be achieved.

Nuclear Power

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total level of Government financial support to the nuclear industry in each year since 1990, including (a) research grants, (b) transfer of debt from privatised utilities, (c) non-fossil fuel levy, (d) investment in BNFL facilities, (e) running costs of UKAEA and NIREX and (f) other sources.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 7 November 2001
	Funding to the UK nuclear industry has been provided primarily in the form of grant and grant-in-aid to the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). This funding has been primarily to enable the UKAEA to discharge historic nuclear liabilities arising form past civil nuclear research programmes and to decommission those research facilities and restore sites to normal use—with the exception of funding in respect of the UKAEA nuclear fusion research programme at Culham which complements the UK's participation in the European Union's Framework Programme V.
	In the period 1999–2000, the DTI (Department of Energy prior to May 1992) provided grant/grant-in-aid to the UKAEA as follows:
	
		£ million 
		
			 Year Grant and grant in aid(6) Fusion Other nuclear 
		
		
			 1990–91 94.3 26.9 — 
			 1991–92 68.7 20.7 — 
			 1992–93 (7)126.2 16.3 — 
			 1993–94 (7)128.7 16.3 — 
			 1994–95 (7)131.3 15.7 — 
			 1995–96(8) 199.3 15.9 — 
			 1996–97 166.5 12.1 — 
			 1997–98 174.5 16.6 8.5 
			 1998–99 285 12.6 5 
			 1999–2000 194.4 14.4 3.3 
			 2000–01 223.4 14.3 3.5 
		
	
	(6) Grant in aid to the UKAEA includes provision for its running costs
	(7) Grant payment
	(8) Prior to 1995 the UKAEA was a trading fund with a negative external financing requirement
	Note:
	Figures are from Government Expenditure Plan Reports
	As regards the privatisation of the nuclear industry (which included both AEA Technology, and British Energy respectively) arrangements at the time included provision for debts to be included in the privatised companies balance sheets and for those debts to be paid back to the Government at fixed periods.
	Turning to the non-fossil fuel obligation (NFFO), this obliged electricity suppliers to buy a certain proportion of their electricity from non-fossil sources (nuclear and renewables). Nuclear Electric plc received a premium over and above the market price for electricity in the period 1990–96, as follows:
	
		£ million 
		
			 Year Premium income 
		
		
			 1990–91 1,265 
			 1991–92 798 
			 1992–93 864 
			 1993–94 895 
			 1994–95 892 
			 1995–96 699 
		
	
	These additional costs incurred by electricity suppliers in meeting their NFFO obligations were reimbursed through the fossil fuel levy on electricity supplied in England and Wales.
	BNFL, as a commercial company, does not receive investment capital from Government, although Ministers have provided assurances from time to time in respect of the Government's willingness to accept responsibility for any future liabilities which might arise.
	The costs of UK NIREX are met by subscriptions from its members (UKAEA, BNFL, British Energy).

Financial Aid

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the total amount of public money given to support (a) farming, (b) the steel industry and (c) all manufacturing industries in each of the last 10 years.

Brian Wilson: The primary responsibility for farming support rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. I understand from colleagues that information on public expenditure under the Common Agricultural Policy and on national grants and subsidies is contained in the publication "Agriculture in the UK", and that copies of this publication are available in the Library of the House. My Department provides support for farming under the small firms loan guarantee scheme. The amounts paid against claims relating to farming under the guarantee since 1991 are as follows:
	
		
			 Year Amount paid (£) 
		
		
			 1991 nil 
			 1992 37,336.41 
			 1993 15,671.86 
			 1994 94,179.59 
			 1995 219,391.52 
			 1996 242,017.49 
			 1997 228,727.59 
			 1998 131,508.71 
			 1999 19,947.17 
			 2000 39,647.41 
			 2001 nil to date 
			  
			 Total 1,028,427.75 
		
	
	The provision of state aid to steel companies which produce products covered by the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) treaty is governed by the Steel Aid Code of the treaty. This code permits aid, only in limited circumstances, for research and development, environmental protection and the permanent closure (not rescue) of a steel company. The only instance of aid to a company covered by the treaty was in the mid-nineties when British Steel was provided with aid of around £180,000 towards a research and development project under the Link programme. Further details on aid to this industry could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department currently spends around £1 billion a year in support for business of which a very significant proportion directly and indirectly benefits manufacturing industry. Because of the wide-ranging nature of DTI support quantifying the exact proportion of public money given to support particular industries (e.g. manufacturing or farming) in each of the last 10 years would raise problems of definition and would also incur disproportionate cost.

End of Life Vehicles Directive

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the cost implications of the End of Life Vehicles Directive for car manufacturers; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 6 November 2001, Official Report, column 159W.

End of Life Vehicles Directive

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the implications of the End of Life Vehicles Directive; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: The Directive is complex, with implications for car and component manufacturers, importers, dismantlers, shredders, materials reprocessors, and car owners. The DTI consultation paper on options for implementing the Directive, which included a partial regulatory impact assessment, had resulted in around 100 responses by the closing date of 2 November. These responses are now being assessed, and will be taken into account when deciding on the precise method of implementation.

Structural Funding

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (a) amount and (b) proportion of overall EU objective 1 budget for the UK has been (i) committed and (ii) spent according to the latest records in each of the four objective 1 regions.

Alan Johnson: The figures in the table are the latest available commitments and payments made under the EU structural funds for each of the objective 1 regions. Payments under the programmes lag behind commitments because the fund regulations require ERDF expenditure to be defrayed before it is claimed. ESF projects may receive an advance payment at the beginning of the project but subsequent ESF payments take place after expenditure has been defrayed.
	The management of the objective 1 programme for West Wales and the Valleys is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales. However, I understand from the National Assembly that the figures for this region are as set out in the table.
	
		
			 Region Committed grant (£ million) Spent grant (£ million) Proportion of regional objective 1 budget (Percentage) 
		
		
			 Cornwall and the Scilly Isles 60 5.98 19.53/1.95 
			 Merseyside 164.73 30.68 20.14/3.75 
			 South Yorkshire 92.5 13.046 12.86/1.81 
			 West Wales and the Valleys 260 30.4 24/2.7

Equal Pay

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many equal value claims have failed for being over the six-month time limit rule since the Equal Pay Act 1963 became law.

Alan Johnson: It would not be possible to provide the number of equal value claims that have failed for being over the six month time limit rule since the Equal Pay Act became law.
	Such information is not available from the Employment Tribunals Service database, which only records the outcome of each case and not the reasons for the outcome.
	Source:
	Employment Tribunals Service

Photovoltaic Energy

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement about the sale price of photovoltaic energy for national grid purposes; and how this price compares with those in other EU member states.

Brian Wilson: In our liberalised energy market, the price paid to generators for electricity, including electricity from photovoltaics (PV), is a matter for negotiation between the generator and the supplier, and is subject to market fluctuation. We therefore have only limited and anecdotal information about prices paid to generators for PV energy. The best price recently mentioned to the Department has been 6.5p per kilowatt hour paid by a company offering a "net metering" deal, that is a deal in which the supplier buys PV energy from generators at the same price that they would charge them for electricity purchases. The best price obtainable at any time will vary with the market.
	Some European countries have taken steps to encourage net metering, and some, notably Germany and Spain, have gone further by legislating for the utilities to pay renewable generators a premium price for all the electricity they wish to export to the network. In the case of PV, this is about 33p per kilowatt hour in Germany and 25p per kilowatt hour in Spain.
	The Government are encouraging the uptake of PV in the UK through both domestic and large-scale field trials, soon to be followed by a major PV demonstration programme to rival the German and Japanese PV roofs programme. It is also working to overcome infrastructural barriers through simplified grid-connection, fairer tariffs and more positive planning guidance.

Employment Tribunal Claims

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the number of employment tribunal claims in the last five years; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce the extent of non-compliance with regulations by employers.

Alan Johnson: The number of applications were:
	1996–97: 88,961
	1997–98: 80,435
	1998–99: 91,913
	1999–2000: 103,935
	2000–01: 130,408.
	The Employment Bill, introduced in Parliament on 7 November 2001, aims to reduce recourse to employment tribunals through a better understanding of employment rights and responsibilities. In particular, the Bill will set new minimum standards for dealing with workplace disputes and a penalty on employers for failure to comply with the requirement to provide a written statement of employment particulars. The changes will be supported by advice and guidance to help employers meet the requirements of the law.

Routes to Resolution

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the responses received to her consultation document, "Routes to Resolution".

Alan Johnson: The respondents to the "Routes to Resolution: Improving Dispute Resolution in Britain" consultation are listed in Annexe B of "Routes to Resolution—the Government Response" issued on 8 November 2001. A copy is lodged in the House of Commons Library. The text is also available on the DTI website at www.dti.gov.uk/er/individual/etresponse.pdf. Copies of individual responses are held in the DTI and House of Commons Libraries. I am grateful to those who responded.

WALES

Bus Travel

Donald Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales about co-ordinating measures to facilitate bus travel for pensioners and the disabled.

Paul Murphy: I meet the First Secretary on a regular basis and discuss a range of issues, including transport.
	As the Prime Minister stated during his address to the Assembly, policy on concessionary travel was made in Wales and is now being extended to England.

Bus Travel

Betty Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales about measures to facilitate bus travel for pensioners and the disabled.

Don Touhig: My right hon. Friend meets the First Secretary on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues, including transport.
	As the Prime Minister stated during his address to the Assembly, policy on concessionary travel was made in Wales and is now being extended to England.
	From 1 April this year free passes have been available to pensioners and disabled passengers guaranteeing at least 50 per cent. concessions on local buses, a move estimated to have benefited some 600,000 pensioners and disabled passengers. From 1 April 2002 these passes will guarantee free local bus travel for pensioners and disabled people.
	A Bill is currently progressing in the House of Commons to equalise the entitlement to concessionary travel for men and women at the age of 60. It is estimated it will bring to some 8 million nationwide the number of people who benefit from the Government's statutory requirements for travel concessions, including some 75,000 men in Wales. It is currently planned to introduce these measures in England in April 2003. The Assembly will have its own commencement powers and could introduce earlier if it wished.

Special Educational Needs

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales concerning the influx from English border areas of pupils with special needs into north Wales schools.

Don Touhig: Although my right hon. Friend and I have regular meetings with the First Secretary to discuss a range of issues relating to educational provision in Wales, the influx from English border areas of pupils with special needs into north Wales schools has not been raised.
	I am, however, aware that the National Assembly for Wales places a high priority on achieving the best possible opportunities for children with special educational needs in order to give them a rewarding school life and to equip them for adult life.

Manufacturing Employment

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales about levels of manufacturing employment in Wales.

Paul Murphy: I meet the First Secretary regularly to discuss a range of issues, including manufacturing employment in Wales. Some 7,500 jobs have been announced in the manufacturing sector in Wales in the past 12 months. This is particularly welcome in the context of severe losses in the steel sector.

Objective 1

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Treasury with regard to the Government's policy on the provision of investment aid in the west Wales and the valleys objective 1 programme area; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Murphy: I meet Treasury colleagues regularly to discuss a variety of issues.
	All representations in advance of the 2002 Budget will be considered carefully in the normal way.

Health (Waiting Lists)

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary for Health and Social Services in the National Assembly regarding the number of people waiting for treatment in Wales.

Don Touhig: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I meet regularly with the National Assembly First Minister and Health Minister to discuss a range of issues including the number of people waiting for treatment.

Crime

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the measures taken by the Government to tackle crime in Wales.

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the measures taken by the Government to tackle crime in Wales.

Jackie Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the measures taken by Government to tackle crime in Wales.

Don Touhig: The Government's partnership approach to fighting crime is making a significant difference in communities across Wales. With funding running into millions of pounds, local crime and disorder reduction partnerships are implementing projects targeted at crime hotspots, domestic violence and drug related crime. Much of this funding is being channelled specifically into the most deprived communities and is going a long way towards building safer and more inclusive communities.

QinetiQ (Aberporth)

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with Government and National Assembly Secretaries regarding the future of QinetiQ, Aberporth.

Paul Murphy: I meet both Government and Assembly Ministers regularly to discuss a range of issues.
	The Government have provided funding for the September 2001 apprentice intake at Aberporth. Future arrangements for apprentices at QinetiQ sites depend on the Ministry of Defence review of Ranges and Test Evaluation provision. The MOD expects to have agreed a procurement strategy for this business by the end of the year.

Wrexham Incinerator

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with members of the Assembly about the proposed Wrexham incinerator and its potential cross-border effect on English constituencies.

Paul Murphy: I have had no direct discussion on this subject with Assembly Members as any planning proposal is a matter for the relevant local authority and the National Assembly for Wales.
	I understand that the Assembly has received a number of requests for the planning application to be called in and consideration is currently being given to these requests. The Assembly's approach is not to interfere with a local planning authority's jurisdiction unless an application involves planning issues of more than local importance.

Livestock Movements

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the operation of the autumn movement of livestock scheme in Wales.

Paul Murphy: I have regular meetings with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on a wide range of issues, which have of course included matters related to foot and mouth disease. I understand that in respect of this scheme there is close and effective operational liaison between the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the National Assembly.

Manufacturing Industry

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent representations he has received concerning the future of manufacturing industry in Wales.

Paul Murphy: I meet, visit and correspond regularly with representatives of the Welsh manufacturing industry. Some 7,500 jobs have been announced in the manufacturing sector in Wales in the past 12 months. This is particularly welcome in the context of severe losses in the steel sector.

New Deal

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the operation of the new deal in Wales.

Paul Murphy: The new deal has been a success story in Wales. 81,500 people in Wales have benefited from the scheme so far and 42 per cent. of those have now found jobs. Since the launch of the scheme in Wales there has been a 68 per cent. fall in the number of 18 to 24-year-olds claiming jobseeker's allowance for six months or more and the number of people over 25 claiming jobseeker's allowance for two years or more has fallen by 45 per cent.

Further and Higher Education

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary concerning further and higher education in north-east Wales.

Don Touhig: My right hon. Friend and I have had a number of meetings and discussions recently to discuss education in Wales. These discussions have included the provision of higher education.
	The Assembly's Education and Lifelong Learning Committee is conducting a comprehensive policy review of higher education in Wales, to inform a 10-year strategy for the sector. The review's findings are expected later this year.

Barnett Formula

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary about the operation of the Barnett formula relating to health provision.

Don Touhig: The operation of the Barnett formula has no direct effect on health provision in Wales. Therefore, I have not discussed this with the First Minister.

Farmers Assistance

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding extra funds for the National Assembly for Wales to assist those farmers in Wales suffering losses resulting from animal movement restrictions and poor trading conditions. [R]

Paul Murphy: I have regular discussions with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on a number of issues.
	I welcome the re-establishment of Welsh lamb and beef in domestic markets, and the recent announcement that the export of sheep and goat meat can resume from parts of Wales. The Government have extended the Livestock Welfare Disposal Scheme in order to pre-empt problems arising this winter for lambs that would, under normal trading conditions, be sold and moved off farms.
	I understand that the Assembly is making strenuous efforts to deal with both long-term issues in Welsh agriculture and the current difficulties affecting the market and farmers' incomes this autumn. Both the Assembly and the Welsh Development Agency stand ready to assist the livestock industry with marketing and processing grants for viable projects.

School Transport

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet the First Secretary of the National Assembly to discuss the legal obligations placed on local authorities relating to home-to-school transport.

Don Touhig: I have written to the Assembly Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning on this matter, with particular reference to the issues raised by my hon. Friend in the debate on Transport to School, on 30 October 2001, Official Report, columns 243–50WH. Local education authorities (LEAs) have a statutory duty to decide how best to meet their home to school transport obligations. LEAs are obliged to provide free transport to the nearest school for pupils under eight-years-old who live more than two miles from the school, and for pupils above the age of eight who live more than three miles from the school.

Small Businesses

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent meetings he has had with UK Government Departments to represent the interests of small businesses in Wales.

Paul Murphy: I meet my colleagues in UK Government Departments regularly to discuss a range of issues, including small businesses in Wales.

Violent Crime

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary about tackling violent crime in Wales.

Don Touhig: My right hon. Friend meets regularly with the Home Secretary to discuss a range of issues affecting Wales.
	The Government are committed to increasing the reporting and recording of violent crime. Violent crime represents a relatively small proportion of crime, but it is recognised that it includes those crimes that cause people most concern.
	We have put in place a comprehensive package of measures to combat violent crime which is set out in "Fighting Violent Crime Together", published earlier this year.

TREASURY

Departmental Spending (Deprived Areas)

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the expenditure by his Department in each of the years (a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99, (d) 1999–2000, (e) 2000–01, (f) 2001–02 and (g) 2002–03 (estimated) was allocated with reference to the index of multiple deprivation; which expenditure programmes are allocated with respect to this index and other measures of relative geographic deprivation; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: holding answer 25 October 2001
	HM Treasury has had a modest programme budget, none of which is allocated with reference to the indices of multiple deprivation.

Impounded Vehicles

David Heath: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance is given to Customs and Excise officials on the (a) impounding and (b) disposal of impounded vehicles used to breach personal allowances for tobacco and alcohol; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: The Customs and Excise Management Act 1979, section 141(1)(a), allows Customs to seize vehicles that have been used for the transport of anything liable to seizure. As part of the tackling tobacco strategy, and following recommendations from Martin Taylor, the independent tobacco evaluator, Customs strengthened their approach to anyone using vehicles to smuggle goods including alcohol and tobacco.
	Seized vehicles are stored until condemnation proceedings are completed giving Customs the legal right to dispose of them as they see fit. Customs will dispose of the vehicles in a cost-effective manner most beneficial to the UK Exchequer.

Impounded Vehicles

David Heath: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sites are used to store vehicles impounded by Customs and Excise officials on the grounds that they were being used to breach personal allowances for the importation of tobacco and alcohol; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: A number of sites are used around the UK. These are made available as part of the contract arrangements Customs has in place to provide storage facilities for both vehicles and goods. For security reasons the specific details of these sites cannot be disclosed.

Staff Shortages

Llew Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 23 October 2001, Official Report, column 202W, how many instances have been brought to his attention by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise where appeals and reviews have been cancelled owing to staff shortages.

Paul Boateng: Customs endeavour to complete all reviews within the statutory period of 45 days. Where for any reason they cannot do so, such as at particularly busy periods, section 15(2) of the Finance Act 1994 states that if Customs do not carry out the review within the 45 days from when the review was required they shall be assumed to have confirmed the decision. Where Customs cannot complete a review within the statutory period, the appellant still has the right to go to a tribunal.

Automotive Fuel

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax was raised in each year since 1997 from the retail sale of automotive fuel.

Paul Boateng: The information is not available.

Motor Vehicles (Tax Income)

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax was raised in each year since 1997 from (a) the sale, maintenance and repair of motorcycles and related parts and accessories, (b) the sale of motor vehicle parts and accessories, (c) the maintenance and repair of motor vehicles and (d) the sale of motor vehicles.

Paul Boateng: The estimated amount of VAT raised from the maintenance and repair, including parts and accessories, of motor vehicles and motorcycles since 1997 is:
	
		
			 Year £ billion 
		
		
			 1997 1.7 
			 1998 1.9 
			 1999 2.0 
			 2000 2.0 
		
	
	It is not possible to estimate the Government's income from VAT on the sale of motor vehicles and motorcycles except at disproportionate cost.

Public Sector Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the growth of public sector pay in 2001 on the level of public expenditure.

Andrew Smith: Public sector pay costs have been accommodated within the agreed public spending totals, in accordance with normal prices.

Civil Service Pay Negotiations

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) public expenditure and (b) recruitment and retention within the civil service of the devolution to individual Government Departments and agencies of responsibility for pay negotiations.

Andrew Smith: On public expenditure, the position continues to be that Departments are expected to meet pay costs from within their public spending allocations. The flexibilities under the delegations allow Departments to structure their pay arrangements to meet their own particular circumstances and requirements, including dealing more effectively with recruitment and retention issues.

Afghanistan

Llew Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact on public expenditure on non-military priorities of the commitment to military expenditure in the conflict in Afghanistan.

Andrew Smith: The Chancellor has made it clear that the Government will meet the costs of measures related to our response to international terrorism, while continuing to deliver our spending plans within the fiscal rules.

Climate Change Levy

Dave Watts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Treasury is taking to monitor the impact of the climate change levy on (a) manufacturing industry and (b) the service sector; and if he will publish the results.

Paul Boateng: The climate change levy package is broadly revenue neutral for services and manufacturing but the impact on any specific sector will depend on a number of factors, including:
	The future energy consumption of firms in the sector and the use they make of levy funded energy efficiency support.
	Employment levels in those sectors and the benefits received from the levy funded reductions in employers' National Insurance Contributions.
	The number of energy intensive firms in that sector that are eligible to receive a discount on the main rates of the levy by signing up to an energy efficiency agreement.
	What use firms in that sector make of electricity generated from levy exempt sources such as new renewables and combined heat and power.
	As with all taxation, we will monitor revenue and sectoral impacts. Revenue receipts are published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report.

Climate Change Levy

Harry Barnes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to exclude the nuclear power industry from the climate change levy.

Paul Boateng: The climate change levy is designed to encourage energy efficiency across the business and public sectors and to increase the use of sustainable forms of energy. The Government have no plans to exclude the nuclear power industry from the levy.

Climate Change Levy

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what percentage of the climate change levy is paid by engineering; and if he will estimate the percentage of economic output produced by engineering;
	(2)  if the climate change levy is revenue neutral for the engineering sector.

Paul Boateng: The climate change levy is designed to be broadly revenue neutral across both the manufacturing and service sectors. The impact of the levy on any particular sector will be determined by a number of factors, including
	The future energy consumption of firms in the sector and the use they make of levy funded energy efficiency support.
	Employment levels in the sectors and the benefits received from the levy funded National Insurance contribution cuts.
	The number of energy intensive firms in the sector that are eligible to receive a discount on the main rates of the levy by signing up to an energy efficiency agreement.
	What use firms in that sector make of electricity generated from levy exempt "new" renewable sources of energy and combined heat and power.
	On the most recently available figures, engineering represents an estimated 6 per cent. of gross domestic product.

Corporation Tax

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many firms have paid corporation tax at no more than the 10p rate in each year since its introduction.

Dawn Primarolo: It is too early to say. The 10p rate was introduced from the 2000–01 tax year, and small companies do not have to pay their corporation tax until nine months after the end of their accounting periods. But we estimate that about 150,000 corporation tax payers will be at 10 per cent. (with a further 150,000 paying at an average rate between 10 per cent. and 20 per cent.).

Corporation Tax

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to simplify the administration of corporation tax.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government keep the whole tax system under review, acting where possible to change tax rules to minimise burdens on business, while still meeting the Government's objectives for a fair and efficient tax system. The administration of corporation tax is one of a number of areas covered by current or recent reviews.

Regulation

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce targets for reducing the number of regulations issued by his Department over the next four years.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government's policy is to regulate only when necessary, ensuring that regulations are fair and effective, so that they protect the vulnerable but do not stifle competitiveness or productivity.
	New processes including the Regulatory Reform Act give us powerful tools to help cut down over-complex, over-lapping and over-burdensome regulatory regimes.
	The Prime Minister has asked all Whitehall Departments to identify by the end of this year areas of legislation that are ripe for reform under this and other procedures. A Government-wide action plan will then be published containing firm commitments to specific reforms and initiatives which will aid both business and the public sector.
	The Chancellor's Departments (along with Department's across Government) continue to explore ways of reducing regulatory burdens. There are no plans to introduce targets for reducing the number of regulations issued.

Income Tax

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the level of higher rate taxation as a factor in attracting senior management to the UK (a) public and (b) private sectors.

Dawn Primarolo: We are pledged not to raise the top rate of tax in this Parliament. It is 40 per cent. and compares favourably with our competitors' equivalent rates.

Stamp Duty

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to introduce new anti-avoidance measures in respect of stamp duty.

Ruth Kelly: The Government regularly review the adequacy of legislation to counter avoidance of all taxes, including stamp duty.

Pension Credit

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from interest groups representing the elderly regarding (a) the marginal tax rate in the pension credit and (b) the pension credit savings limit.

Dawn Primarolo: Treasury Ministers receive a wide range of representations on a variety of issues.

Pension Credit

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions regarding pre-Budget representations received from interest groups representing the elderly concerning the pension credit.

Ruth Kelly: The Chancellor of the Exchequer meets regularly with Cabinet colleagues to discuss a wide range of issues.

Insurance Premium Tax

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been raised on insurance premium tax in each year since May 1997.

Ruth Kelly: Figures for receipts of insurance premium tax are shown in the Office for National Statistics publication "Financial Statistics".

Private Medical Insurance

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been raised by the abolition of tax relief on private medical insurance in each year since its abolition.

Ruth Kelly: Annual estimates of the yield from the abolition of tax relief on premiums for private medical insurance for the over-60s were given in the July 1997 Financial Statement and Budget Report (FSBR). No further estimates have been made.

Employee Share Ownership

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money was raised in the last financial year from penalties imposed on firms where employees have cashed in employee share ownership schemes too early.

Ruth Kelly: No penalties are imposed on firms, but employees may be liable to tax and national insurance contributions on shares granted under the share incentive plan if they withdraw from the plan early. Returns have only just been received from companies reflecting their first year's operation of the plan, so it is too early to estimate the amounts which may be involved.

Prospectus Directive

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has made to the European Commission regarding the proposed Prospectus Directive.

Ruth Kelly: The Economic and Finance Council of Ministers discussed the risk capital action plan, of which the proposed Prospectus Directive is a part, on 6 November. The United Kingdom argued that substantial work on the directive is required to deliver the risk capital action plan's objectives to increase the availability of risk capital in the EU.
	HM Treasury is in regular contact with all levels of the Commission, and has communicated the United Kingdom Government's reservations about the directive, as currently drafted, on many occasions.

Hawala

Andrew Love: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action is being taken to bring the Hawala exchange system within the scope of his new arrangements to combat the funding of international terrorism; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: On Monday 12 November, regulations came into force to give Customs new powers to enter and inspect money service businesses, including Hawala, Hundi and other alternative remittance agents, to ensure that they are compliant with the 1993 Money Laundering Regulations. Where they find a breach of these regulations, Customs will be able to prosecute.

Share Incentive Plan

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of how employee share ownership can be encouraged in sectors of the economy with relatively high employee turnover.

Ruth Kelly: The share incentive plan and enterprise management incentives introduced in Finance Act 2000 were developed on the basis of extensive consultation. This ensured the design of both was flexible to enable companies in all sectors, including those with relatively high employee turnover, to adapt the schemes to suit their particular needs. For the share incentive plan companies can set a qualifying period of service for employees to benefit from the plan. They can also include forfeiture and pre-emption conditions if they wish.
	The new plans are being closely monitored to assess how far they are meeting the needs of companies of all sizes and sectors.

Share Incentive Plan

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on, and what plans he has to reduce, the qualifying period for SIPs.

Ruth Kelly: The share incentive plan was introduced to encourage greater share ownership among employees. Employees must retain their shares in the plan for five years to earn full exemption from tax and national insurance contributions. We have received one representation to reduce this period from five to three years. This would work against the aim of encouraging employees to retain shares in the company they work for over the long term, and it would be costly in terms of tax forgone.
	There is no requirement for companies to set a qualifying period of service before employees may benefit from the plan although they may do so if they wish, up to a maximum of 18 months.

Occupational Pension Funds Directive

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has made to the European Commission regarding the proposed directive on occupational pension funds.

Ruth Kelly: The Economic and Finance Council of Ministers discussed the proposed directive on the activities of institutions for occupational retirement provision on 6 May, Official Report, 10 May 2001, column 284W. Ministers agreed that further work was required. Ecofin on 16 October noted a Presidency report on progress on the draft directive, Official Report, 24 October 2001, column 260W.

Labour Supply

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of national insurance rates on the supply of labour.

Dawn Primarolo: Reducing national insurance contributions for those on low incomes forms part of the Government's strategy to make work pay. As a result of reforms since 1997, around 1 million lower paid employees have been taken out of having to pay NICs altogether. Cautious estimates show that labour supply has increased by around 160,000 people as a result of the entire package of measures to make work pay since 1997, including the reductions in income tax and national insurance contributions as well as working families tax credit and disabled persons tax credit.

Taxation

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what percentage of the combined burden of taxation on motoring is borne by industry;
	(2)  what percentage of the total tax burden was borne by business in each year since May 1997.

Andrew Smith: The information requested is not available.

Manufacturing

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many manufacturing jobs have been lost since April.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. John Bercow, dated 14 November 2001
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question about the reduction in the number of manufacturing jobs since April (14392).
	The table below shows the number of employee jobs in manufacturing for April and August 2001 for comparative purposes.
	
		
			 UK Thousand(9) 
		
		
			 April 2001 3,864 
			 August 2001 3,805 
			 Change between April and August 2001 (10)-59 
		
	
	(9) Seasonally adjusted
	(10) -1.5 per cent.
	These estimates are based on the results of regular sample surveys of employers which count the number of employee jobs. The data are published in Statbase on the National Statistics website www.statistics.gov.uk./statbase/tsdataset.asp?vlnk=342 under series identifier YEJL.

Mortality Statistics

Helen Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people died from (a) meningitis and (b) carbon monoxide poisoning, excluding suicides, in each of the last four years.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Helen Jackson, dated 14 November 2001
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent about the number of people died from (a) meningitis and (b) carbon monoxide poisoning, excluding suicides in each of the last four years (14407).
	The data are included in the table below.
	
		Number of deaths in England and Wales from meningitis and carbon monoxide poisoning (excluding suicides), persons, all ages, 1997–2000(11)
		
			 Calendar year Meningitis Carbon monoxide poisoning (excluding suicide) 
		
		
			 1997 466 156 
			 1998 426 150 
			 1999 399 135 
			 2000 405 118 
		
	
	(11) Cause of death in these years was coded to the International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision (ICD9)
	Notes:
	The codes used to define the terms used in the table are as follows:
	Meningitis—ICD9 underlying cause codes 036, 320–322
	Carbon monoxide poisoning—ICD9 nature of injury code 986
	Suicide—ICD9 underlying cause codes E950-E959, E980-E989 excluding E988.8
	Source:
	ONS

Freedom of Information Act

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date his Department established a working group of officials to prepare his Department for the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and on what dates this committee has met since it was set up.

Ruth Kelly: A working group was set up in October to co-ordinate preparations for the Freedom of Information Act. The first meeting of the group will be on 30 November.

Working Hours

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 6 November 2001, Official Report, column 154W, on excessive working hours, if he will place in the Library the results from the aggregated data for every sub annual period since the data was first collected; if he will place a greater level of detail on his methodology in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested by the hon. Member has been deposited in the Library.

Pensions

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met trade union representatives to discuss (a) miners' pension issues and (b) pension funds surpluses; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: holding answer 13 November 2001
	Treasury Ministers meet regularly with a wide range of groups of people to discuss a variety of topics.

Professional Contractors Group

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many meetings he has had with the Professional Contractors Group in the last 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 3 July 2001, Official Report, column 128W.

IR35 (Training Provision)

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on how IR35 will affect training provision for IT contractors; and what new incentives are available to increase this training;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the impact on IT contractors' training provision of (a) the introduction of IR35 and (b) the ending of individual learning accounts.

Dawn Primarolo: Employees who pay for their own training are not in general entitled to a tax deduction for this expense. Individuals affected by the 'service company' legislation are in a similar position. However they are entitled to an additional 5 per cent. flat rate deduction for expenses on top of all the other expenses normally available to an employee, which they can use to provide for their training needs if they so wish. The withdrawal of individual learning accounts has had the same effect on all individuals previously eligible for them, and service company workers are not affected any differently from anybody else.

Individual Learning Accounts

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the DFES regarding the decision to end individual learning accounts, with specific reference to training for IT contractors.

Dawn Primarolo: The Chancellor of the Exchequer meets regularly with his Cabinet colleagues to discuss a wide range of issues.

Income Tax (Pensioners)

Tom Cox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people over the age of 65 years pay income tax.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to "Inland Revenue Statistics", table 2.1. The latest version can be accessed on the Inland Revenue website www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats.

Double Taxation Conventions

Barbara Follett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will submit to the House the double taxation conventions that the Government recently concluded with Jordan and Lithuania; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The conventions with Jordan and Lithuania were signed on 22 July and 19 March respectively. The texts of the conventions with Jordan and Lithuania have each been published today as a schedule to a draft Order in Council and laid before the House. After signature the texts were deposited in the Library of the House and made available on the Inland Revenue's website.

National Insurance

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures indicating the effective upper earnings limit on the equivalent of national insurance contributions for each EU member state in the latest year for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: Information and details about the social security contributions systems of other EU member states, and more generally about other OECD member countries, is published annually in the OECD publication "Taxing Wages". A copy of this publication is available from the House of Commons Library.

Tax/National Insurance Receipts

Michael Jack: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the receipts of (a) income tax, (b) corporation tax and (c) national insurance for November and December and January 2002.

Dawn Primarolo: Forecasts of receipts on a monthly basis are not published.

Smuggling (Motor Fuel Products)

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the fuel duty and VAT lost in each year since 1997 through the smuggling of motor fuel products into Northern Ireland.

Paul Boateng: Updated estimates will be presented in the forthcoming pre-Budget report.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Ministerial Visit (Pakistan)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whom she met and what discussions she had during her recent visit to Pakistan.

Clare Short: I visited Pakistan from 17 to 19 October. My statement on 24 October 2001, Official Report, columns 284–85, reported on the discussions I had there.
	I met President Musharraf, Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz and the Ministers of Health, Education, Northern Areas and Women's Affairs. I met the Governor of the North West Frontier Province and some of his ministers and senior officials. I had informal discussions with local representatives of NGOs, including SCF, Oxfam, CARE and the Iranian Red Cross; and with representatives of the UN agencies. I also had a meeting with the US Ambassador. In Peshawar, I visited the World Food Programme office and food distribution depot.

Caribbean

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will set out the conclusions her Department reached in its examination of further support to the CARICOM-sponsored regional plan for tackling HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: We have confirmed our readiness to provide additional support to the regional HIV/AIDS action plan for the Caribbean, particularly in the key area of policy and advocacy support. CARICOM will be convening a meeting of all interested donors in St. Lucia this month to examine the most effective process for turning the action plan into reality.

Caribbean

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will set out how the funding for the second phase of the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre Project has been allocated and itemise the purposes to which it has been applied, by island or territory.

Clare Short: DFID support for the second Phase of the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) project is geared towards the Prevention and Control of AIDS and Sexually transmitted diseases in the Caribbean (£713,564). Specific outputs include:
	(a) improved HIV/AIDS/CSTD case management in Caribbean member countries which aims to improve the quality of STD diagnosis and treatment;
	(b) the development and implementation of information, education and communication (IEC) interventions aimed at target groups;
	(c) improved management of National AIDS programmes in participating Caribbean member countries; and
	(d) implementation of sentinel surveillance for HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B in six Caribbean member countries.
	We are considering a further project with CAREC designed to strengthen its effectiveness as an organisation to respond to the growing incidence of HIV/AIDS in the region.

Ivory Coast

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which (a) non-Governmental organisations and (b) charities the Government support in the Ivory Coast.

Clare Short: We are currently supporting the work of four non-governmental organisations in Cote d'Ivoire. Through our Small Grants Scheme we are helping to support the work of the World Wide Fund for Nature, Cote d'Ivoire Ecology, and Afrique Nature International. We are also supporting the work of Action on Disability and Development through the Civil Society Challenge Fund (CSCF).

HOME DEPARTMENT

Ethnic Minority Staff

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the second annual report on progress on his race equality employment targets for ethnic minority staff in his Department and its service areas.

Angela Eagle: I have today published a report entitled "Race Equality—The Home Secretary's Employment Targets—The Second Annual Report on Progress". Copies have been placed in the Library. The targets cover recruitment, retention and career progression for minority ethnic staff in the Home Office, the prison, the police, the fire and the probation services.

Amarjit Singh

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the case of Mr. Amarjit Singh, stating for what reason he has been detained.

Angela Eagle: I wrote to my hon. Friend about this matter on 14 November.

Downview Prison

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners there were at HMP Downview on 26 October; and, of these, how many were (a) UK and (b) Jamaican citizens convicted of trafficking in illegal drugs.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 7 November 2001
	On the morning of 26 October 2001, there were 130 female prisoners at Downview prison, rising to 140 by the end of the day. A breakdown of nationality and drug offence for that date is not held centrally. However, provisional data for the morning of 13 November 2001 show that there were 180 female prisoners in Downview prison. Of these, 13 United Kingdom (including prisoners from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) and 28 Jamaican nationals were imprisoned for importing/exporting or conspiring to import/export drugs. The population of each prison is shown in the monthly prison population brief available on http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds.

Government Bunkers

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the former Government bunkers sold to private purchasers since 1990.

David Blunkett: Following the decision of the then Home Secretary in 1992, the Home Office has sold Regional Government Headquarters (RGHQ) bunkers at the following addresses to private purchasers:
	1. Shipton by Beningbrough, Near York, North Yorkshire
	2. Alemouth Road, Hexham, Northumberland
	3. Skendleby, Near Spilsby, Lincolnshire
	4. Buder Street, Loughborough, Leicestershire
	5. Watton Road, Bawburgh, Near Norwich, Norfolk
	6. Day's Lane, Biddenham, Bedford, Bedfordshire
	7. Keveldon Hall Lane, Keveldon Hatch, Near Brentwood, Essex
	8. RAF Chilmark, Near Salisbury, Wiltshire
	9. Crown Building, Soar Gull Perch, Hope Cove, Devon
	10. Borras Park Road, Wrexham, North Wales
	11. Brackla Tunnels, Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan
	12. Longly Lane, Goosnargh, Preston, Lancashire
	13. French Lane, Hack Green, Near Nantwich, Cheshire.

Correspondence

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Putney will receive a substantive reply to his letter of 8 October, for which he received an acknowledgement on 7 November, on behalf of his constituent Ms Karen Devlin.

Angela Eagle: My right hon. Friend Lord Rooker has now replied to my hon. Friend.

Nationality Applications

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for British nationality are under consideration by his Department.

Angela Eagle: I regret that statistics on the number of British nationality applications under consideration are not available.
	Since April this year, all new cases are initiated as soon as they arrive. The vast majority of cases awaiting a decision are already in progress, and we aim to start all remaining cases by March 2002. This means that the queue of applications waiting to be considered is getting shorter.

Security Service

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the extra cost to the Security Service of activities in connection with events following the 11 September terrorist attacks; and if this cost will be met from the existing Security Service budget.

David Blunkett: It has long been the policy of this and previous Governments not to comment on the individual budgets of the Security and Intelligence agencies. The impact of the terrorist attacks on 11 September is being taken into account in considering the Security Service budget.

Prison Education

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison education departments have obtained a Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark.

Beverley Hughes: Forty-eight prison education departments have obtained the Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark to date.

Prison Education

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many prisoners have achieved (a) Entry Level Wordpower and Numberpower and (b) Level One Wordpower and Numberpower since December 1996;
	(2)  how many prisoners have successfully completed the (a) Basic Skills Test in Life Skills, (b) Social and Life Skills Programme and (c) Oxford and Cambridge Board Diploma in Achievement.

Beverley Hughes: The table shows the number of individual qualifications achieved in various categories since April 2000. Statistical returns allow some desegregation but do not contain separate figures for the Oxford and Cambridge Diploma. We do not recognise Basic Skills Test in Life Skills as a "qualification".
	
		Subject type and the number of qualifications achieved
		
			 Subject type and level Qualifications achieved 
		
		
			 Entry level—WordPower 621 
			 Level 1—WordPower 1,007 
			 Entry level—NumberPower 359 
			 Level 1—NumberPower 653 
			 Basic skills test in life skills — 
			 Social and life skills programme 2,644 
			 Oxford and Cambridge board diploma in achievement —

Prison Education

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if he will state the names of contractors (a) providing prison education and (b) who have failed to reach the minimum standard required by the quality monitoring and assessment procedure; and what the grades obtained by each of them were;
	(2)  how many contracts for providing prison education have been withdrawn because contractors failed to reach the standards required for consideration in the re-tendering process since 1997.

Beverley Hughes: December 1988 marked the end of the first five-year tendering period. In April 1997, there were 45 prison education providers. Following completion of the re-tendering exercise the number was reduced to 28 in 1999. The existing contractors are set out in the table. No contracts have been withdrawn since the re-tendering exercise.
	The newly founded Prisoners' Learning and Skills Unit located in Department for Education and Skills will be reviewing the funding, procurement and delivery of prison education. The review will draw up a comprehensive improvement strategy which will include the dissemination of existing good practice. It will also challenge and support establishments where education provision gives cause for concern. The unit is leading a review of the present contracting arrangements for that provision.
	
		Education providers/contractors and prison establishments
		
			 Company Establishments 
		
		
			 Amersham and Wycombe College Aylesbury, Belmarsh, Brixton, Cookham Wood, Elmley Grendon/Spring Hill, Holloway, Pentonville, Rochester, Standford Hill, Swaleside, Wandsworth, Wormwood Scrubs 
			 Beverley College Full Sutton, Wakefield 
			 Blackpool and The Fylde College Kirkham, Preston 
			 City College, Manchester Ashwell, Askham Grange, Hatfield, Haverigg, Leeds, Lindholme, Liverpool, Manchester, Moorland, New Hall, Risley, Stocken, Stoke Heath, Styal, Wealstun, Werrington, Wetherby 
			 CfBT Education Services Huntercombe, Reading 
			 Derby Tertiary College (Wilmorton) Foston Hall, Sudbury 
			 Dudley College Birmingham, Brinsford, Brockhill, Featherstone, Hewell Grange, Nottingham, Ranby, Shrewsbury, Whatton 
			 Evesham College Long Lartin 
			 Filton College Eastwood Park, Gloucester 
			 Gwent Tertiary College Cardiff, Swansea, Usk/Prescoed 
			 Highbury College Haslar, Kingston, Winchester 
			 Isle of Wight College Albany, Camp Hill, Parkhurst 
			 Kent Adult Education Service Aldington, Blantyre House, Canterbury, Dover, East Sutton Park, Maidstone 
			 Kingston Upon Hull Community Education Services Everthorpe, Hull 
			 Lancaster and Morecambe College Lancaster, Lancaster Farms 
			 Lewes Tertiary College Lewes 
			 Matthew Boulton College Bedford, Gartree, Glen Parva, Leicester, Lincoln, Littlehey, Morton Hall, North Sea Camp, Onley, Wellingborough 
			 Milton Keynes College Bullingdon, The Mount, Woodhill 
			 North East Surrey College of Training (NESCOT) Coldingley, Downview, Feltham, Highdown, Send 
			 New College, Durham Acklington, Castington, Deerbolt, Durham, Frankland, Holme House, Low Newton, Northallerton 
			 Northbrook College Ford 
			 Norwich City Centre Blundeston, Bullwood Hall, Chelmsford, Highpoint, Hollesley Bay, Norwich, Wayland, Whitemoor 
			 Richmond Upon Thames College Latchmere House 
			 Runshaw College Garth, Wymott 
			 Strode College Bristol, Channings Wood, Dartmoor, Dorchester, Exeter, Portland, Shepton Mallet, The Verne, Weare 
			 Tamworth and Lichfield College Drake Hall, Stafford, Swinfen Hall 
			 Trowbridge College Erlestoke, Guys Marsh 
			 Wigan and Leigh College Hindley, Thorn Cross, Thorn Cross HIT

Prison Education

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of prisoners assessed as having literacy and numeracy skills below level two on entry to prison have achieved nationally accredited qualifications up to level two, since April 2000.

Beverley Hughes: The information requested is not available in the form requested. Data on prison education do not enable the tracking of individual prisoners. Figures do show that 21,319 prisoners have achieved nationally accredited basic skills qualifications up to level two, since April 2000. The Prisoners' Learning and Skills unit located in the Department for Education and Skills is looking into ways of improving the collection of data on prison assessments, participation and achievement.

Prison Welfare-to-Work Programme

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of prisons operate welfare-to-work programmes.

Beverley Hughes: Currently, 11 establishments are delivering the Prison Service's welfare-to-work programme. They are: Cardiff, Deerbolt, Glen Parva, Guys Marsh, Lancaster Farms, Moorland, New Hall, Onley, Portland, Stoke Heath and Usk.
	A number of other establishments provide similar pre- release programmes, often in partnership with voluntary sector organisations. For example, the Foundation Training Company delivers an employment training programme at Feltham, Chelmsford, Hollesley Bay, Highpoint and Norwich. The New Bridge provides a careers advice and jobfinding service in 17 establishments. The Headstart pre-release programme operates at Thorn Cross, Hindley and Risley. All of these programmes are geared to helping more prisoners into employment or the new deal on release as a contribution of reducing re-offending.

Prison Welfare-to-Work Programme

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of prisoners have successfully completed the welfare to work programme in each year since its introduction.

Beverley Hughes: The Prison Service welfare-to- work programme began in April 1998. The available information on prisoners starting and successfully completing the programme is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number of prisoners:  
			 Period Starting the programme Successfully completing the programme Percentage of prisoners successfully completing the programme 
		
		
			 April 1998 to March 1999 2,428 1,625 67 
			 April 1999 to March 2000 2,475 1,944 79 
			 April 2000 to March 2001 1,766 1,476 84 
			 April 2001 to September 2001 1,151 712 62

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the backlog of cases is in each division at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate; and what the waiting time is for naturalisation, from application to determination.

Angela Eagle: Statistics on the number of cases awaiting an initial decision in each division of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate are not currently available, with the exception of asylum applications, as these are subject to rigorous quality checks. The result of a physical count on 31 August 2001 showed that there were 43,100 asylum cases awaiting an initial decision.
	Information on the average waiting time for naturalisations are not routinely published. The most recent published information relates to March 2001, when the average waiting time was 11.6 months.
	One of the Government's Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets is to reduce the average time taken to grant citizenship (naturalisations and registrations) to six months by the end of 2001–02. It is expected that performance on this target will be reported on in due course after the end of this financial year.

Prison IT Systems

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) prisons and (b) young offenders institutions use IT systems which have not been networked.

Beverley Hughes: All prisons have a varying degree of Information Technology (IT) provision. The existing provision has been driven by local policy and local, internal networking is quite common. Currently, across the Prison Service as a whole, there is basic e-mail provision. It has been recognised that the Prison Service needs a modern infrastructure with interlinkings. To this end, Her Majesty's Prison Service has entered into a contract, part of which has the requirement to provide the Service with a new infrastructure that will provide common services on a Service-wide network and enable Her Majesty's Prison Service to build an electronic interface with the wider Criminal Justice System. We are on the verge of beginning the implementation of this new infrastructure.

Consultation Documents

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many consultation documents were issued by his Department from (a) 15 October to 14 January, (b) 15 January to 14 April, (c) 15 April to 14 July and (d) 15 July to 14 October in each year from 1996.

David Blunkett: My Department holds central records on issued consultations from 1997 for the Home Office, its non-departmental bodies and agencies. Between 1997 and 2000 the information is held by year of publication only. Determining all the details contained in the question would require access to archived records at a disproportionate cost. However in order to give the fullest reply I have listed the number of consultations published each year from 1997 to date.
	
		
			 Year Number of consultations issued 
		
		
			 1997 14 
			 1998 23 
			 1999 19 
			 2000 28 
			 2001 20 
		
	
	Details of all Home Office published consultations can be found on the website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ atoz/consultpapers.htm. Consultations published after January 2001 are also on the national register of consultations on http://www.ukonline.gov.uk.

PRIME MINISTER

Travel Costs (Concorde)

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister what was the cost of his travel on Concorde on 7 November; and if this was at a reduced rate.

Tony Blair: holding answer 12 November 2001
	Since 1999 this Government have published a list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The information requested will be published as soon as possible after the end of the current financial year.
	All travel was undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code on Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library.

US Visit

David Laws: To ask the Prime Minister what is his estimate of the cost of his visit to the United States on 7 November; which officials and Ministers accompanied him; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given to my hon. Friend the Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) today Official Report, column 783W.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

People's Panel

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the evaluation of the People's Panel will be (a) completed and (b) published.

Christopher Leslie: A first draft has been received. The final evaluation report will be completed in December and published in January 2002.

People's Panel

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the People's Panel's contract with MORI expires.

Christopher Leslie: The contract with MORI expires at the end of January 2002.

Scottish Devolution

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is regarding consultations prior to the publication of proposals involving the transfer of powers to the Scottish Executive by (a) primary legislation and (b) Order in Council.

Christopher Leslie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by my right hon. Friend the Member for Airdrie and Shotts (Mrs. Liddell) on 6 November 2001, Official Report, columns 91–94.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefit Fraud

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of the value of benefit fraud; and how much fraudulently obtained benefit has been repaid following detection in each year since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: Our most recent estimate is that £2 billion is lost annually through benefit fraud. It is not possible to separate the total amount of overpaid benefit recovered into overpayments due to fraud and those due to other reasons.

Widows' Payments

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what plans he has better to publicise the time limit for making applications for widows' payments;
	(2)  what plans he has for relaxing the time limit for applications for widows' payments in circumstances where the applicant may be unable to make the application within the normal time limit because of ill health; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: We are sympathetic to the needs of the recently bereaved and understand that making a claim for bereavement benefits will not be the first priority for people in these circumstances. We believe the three month time limit for claiming bereavement benefits strikes the right balance between allowing people time to grieve and setting a reasonable and appropriate limit on the length of time within which a claim to benefit should be made. The three month time limit for making a claim was introduced in 1997 for the majority of Social Security benefits and we have no plans to change it.
	Since March 2000 the Department has issued leaflets on the new bereavement benefits to doctors' surgeries, Post Offices and benefit advisers. Articles explaining the new benefits were placed in a variety of magazines prior to their introduction in April 2001. Claim forms for bereavement benefits also include a clear explanation that claims must be made within three months. In addition, the Registrar of Deaths automatically issues a form to the person registering the death which gives them the opportunity to make a claim for bereavement benefits.

Benefit Services (Performance Standards)

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on how many occasions he has used his statutory powers to direct improved standards of performance following persistent failures to deliver acceptable benefit services; and in which local authority areas those powers have been exercised in the last three years.

Malcolm Wicks: Powers under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 were used to give directions to Northampton borough council in August 2000. In addition, powers under the Local Government Act 1999 were used to give directions in the London borough of Hackney in October 2001.

Employment Advisory Panel

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what projects will be undertaken by the Employment Advisory Panel; what its budget is; how many support staff it will have; to whom it will report; and when.

Nick Brown: The National Employment Panel is an employer-led body which provides independent advice to Ministers on the design, delivery and performance of the UK Government's labour market policies and programmes. Its remit encompasses all the new deals and other welfare-to-work activities delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions, Jobcentre Plus and partner organisations at the national and local levels.
	Projects will include a review to examine how effectively welfare-to-work programmes are addressing the needs of the most disadvantaged across the new deal programmes; a new skills sub-group to advise on links between welfare-to-work initiatives and work force development; and work to promote equal access to employment for ethnic minorities through a standing Minority Ethnic Advisory Group.
	The National Employment Panel is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions. It has a budget of £603,000 per annum. It is supported by 15 staff of whom two are funded by private employers.
	The National Employment Panel reports on a regular basis to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The skills sub-group will report to the Minister responsible for adult skills, the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Skills, my hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth (John Healey).

Jobcentre Plus

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much unpaid benefit is due in areas where Jobcentre Plus staff are undertaking strike action; and what his Department's estimate is of the amount of benefit that will be owed to claimants if strike action continues for (a) one week, (b) two weeks, (c) a month and (d) more than a month.

Nick Brown: holding answer 12 November 2001
	Detailed contingency plans are in place to ensure that customers continue to receive the benefits to which they are entitled.

Performance Framework

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the principles which underlie the Performance Framework; in what ways it differs from the system of Best Value; and whether it will be piloted in local authority areas.

Malcolm Wicks: We are committed to a performance framework for the administration of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (HB/CTB), aimed at driving up standards of administration and counter-fraud activity in all types of local authority. The proposed performance framework will include: national standards which make clear what local authorities are expected to deliver; measurement and inspection, so we know whether local authorities are delivering; and consideration of subsidy incentives that reward improved performance.
	As a first step, we are defining national performance standards which build on and go beyond the measures established by Best Value but do not replace them. The standards are based on Benefit Fraud Inspectorate findings, Audit Commission observations and reports, National Audit Office reports and academic research. They define an effective and secure HB/CTB service—addressing strategic management; customer service; speed, accuracy and security in the processing of claims; work with landlords; internal security; counter fraud; and overpayments.
	The standards have already been tested in a pilot exercise over the summer in 14 local authorities. We are formally consulting the local authority associations on performance standards as part of the performance framework, and a copy of the consultation paper has been placed in the Library.
	We recognise that working to meet these standards will be a gradual process and that effective implementation of the performance framework means phased implementation.

ONE Pilots (Benefits)

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what lessons he has drawn from the ONE pilots about the administration of housing benefit and council tax benefit; and what new guidance to local authorities is being proposed.

Malcolm Wicks: The ONE evaluation did not focus on the administration of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. This would have been impractical as there are wide variations in practices among local authorities in ONE pilot and control areas. However, research from the ONE pilots did show improvements to customer service arising from working in close partnership with local authorities. These partnerships will be a key requirement of Jobcentre Plus, and we will be discussing with local authorities how we can jointly guide and support our staff to deliver a cohesive, responsive service to our customers.

Benefit Systems

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what representations he has received from local government ombudsmen in England, Wales and Scotland about the administrative complexity of the housing benefit and council tax benefit systems;
	(2)  what plans he has to discuss with local government ombudsmen in England, Wales or Scotland the administrative complexity of the housing benefit/council tax system.

Malcolm Wicks: In the last year, the Department has received two reports from the Local Government Ombudsman in England. One concerned Housing Benefit claim form NHB1 which is produced by the Department; the other referred to an apparent ambiguity in the Department's guidance to local authorities on operating the Verification Framework. No representations have been received in respect of Wales or Scotland.
	Ministers and officials regularly meet with stakeholders in the Housing Benefit scheme and other interested parties to discuss issues of interest or concern. Such a meeting between one of our officials and one of the three Local Government Ombudsmen for England took place in April this year.

Appeals Service (Housing Benefit)

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact of the transition from housing benefit review boards to the Appeals Service.

Malcolm Wicks: The Appeals Service took over responsibility for hearing Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit appeals on 2 July 2001. By the end of September, local authorities had submitted 1,484 appeals to our Appeals Service.
	Many local authorities have welcomed the introduction of tribunals. However, as the number of appeals which have passed through the new system is still low it is too early to reach any firm conclusion on the impact of the transition from review boards.
	Source:
	100 per cent. download of the Generic Appeals Processing System. Figures are provisional.

Housing Benefit

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to fix housing benefit awards for set periods.

Malcolm Wicks: As with all benefits, we keep all aspects of Housing Benefit claims under review.

Housing Benefit

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what plans he has made to simplify the non-dependent deduction scheme;
	(2)  what plans he has to reform the rate at which housing benefit is withdrawn as earnings rise;
	(3)  what plans he has about increasing earnings disregards for housing benefit.

Malcolm Wicks: We keep all matters relating to benefit under review. Our proposals in respect of Housing Benefit were set out in our policy statement "Quality and Choice: A decent home for all—The way forward for housing" (December 2000).

Housing Benefit

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the reform of the housing benefit extended payment scheme.

Malcolm Wicks: The reformed Housing Benefit extended payment scheme was introduced on 9 April 2001 and it is too early to assess the effectiveness of the new scheme. However, work in progress includes interviews with clients who have received extended payments since April 2001 and with staff responsible for administering and promoting the reformed scheme.

Housing Benefit

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what plans he has to simplify the rent limitations mechanism in the private rented sector;
	(2)  what plans he has to reduce the number of transitional protection schemes that different housing benefit recipients are on.

Malcolm Wicks: From 2 July 2001 the definition of the Single Room Rent was broadened to reflect better the type of accommodation available in the market to young single people.
	Our response to consultation on the Housing Green Paper—"Quality and Choice: A decent home for all—The way forward for housing" (December 2000)—explained that we would look further at the scope for simplifying the different protection schemes which restrict Housing Benefit in the private rented sector. We have commissioned a research project to inform this work, which is now starting its fieldwork stage.

Housing Benefit

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of the housing benefit verification framework on the increase in formal complaints of maladministration.

Malcolm Wicks: Formal complaints about maladministration of the Housing Benefit scheme are made to the Local Government Ombudsman. Information from the Local Government Ombudsman on the number of complaints where the Verification Framework has been cited as a contributory factor is not available.

Housing Benefit

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to divide the housing benefit caseload into age-related client groups.

Malcolm Wicks: We are reforming the welfare system so that welfare services will meet the different needs of our client groups: pensioners, people of working age and children.
	We will ensure that the Housing Benefit scheme supports our strategy to transform the services we provide through the development of Jobcentre Plus and the Pension Service. For those of working age, we intend to streamline the claims process to enable people to claim Housing Benefit at the same time as other benefits, without having to give the same information twice.
	And we are considering how Housing Benefit for pensioners should fit into the new, simplified framework of the Pension Credit from 2003.

Integrated Inquiry Service

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the reasons for abandoning the Integrated Inquiry Service.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Clappison) on 24 October 2001, Official Report, column 242W.

Integrated Inquiry Service

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what level of fees he expects to have to spend to commission alternative proposals to the Integrated Inquiry Service; and who has been commissioned to produce these proposals.

Malcolm Wicks: Affinity, the Department's lead IT service provider, has been commissioned at a cost of approximately £4,000 to explore the options for an alternative to the Integrated Inquiry Service.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Inquests

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 
	(1)  when the Legal Service Commission will publish its guidance on the circumstances in which legal aid funding may be made available for representation at inquests; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he plans to issue his consultation paper on the funding for representation at inquests; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: The Lord Chancellor recently authorised the Legal Services Commission to decide applications for exceptional funding in inquests without reference to Ministers. At the same time, new guidance has taken effect in which the Lord Chancellor slightly amended the way applications in inquests would be dealt with. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes, North-East (Brian White) on 1 November 2001, Official Report, column 856W. The Commission is preparing additional guidance for practitioners on the making of applications, which it intends to publish on 15 November in the next issue of "Focus". The text is already available on the Commission's website, www.legalservices.gov.uk. In the circumstances, we have no plans to issue a consultation document in the near future.

Translation Services

David Kidney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what translation services the Lord Chancellor ensures are available to courts in (a) England and (b) Staffordshire.

Michael Wills: The Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) books and pays for interpreters where necessary for people attending IAA hearings. Within the criminal justice system, a national agreement for obtaining foreign language interpreters exists and applies equally to the Crown court, Court of Appeal and the magistrates courts. The agreement requires the courts to arrange and pay for an interpreter for the defendant.
	In the Supreme Court and county court, foreign language interpreters are provided free of charge for civil committal hearings and for hearings in cases involving children or domestic violence. Interpreters will be provided for other types of hearings if it can be shown that a failure to do so would interfere with the individual's rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.
	The county courts also use a national telephone interpreting service. Sign language interpreters and other forms of communication support are provided free of charge to any party that requires it. A number of different agencies, national and local, are used to arrange this support.
	All these arrangements apply equally to England and Wales. There is no regional breakdown of the service provided.
	In all courts it is the responsibility of the parties involved in the case to arrange for the translation of documents.

Departmental Projects

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the projects in his Department which have been considered as potential public-private partnerships since 1997 which have not been undertaken because the public sector comparator had a lower net present value than the public-private partnership proposed; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 13 November 2001, Official Report, column 607W by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. The Lord Chancellor's Department has not rejected any proposed public-private partnership for the reason stated in the hon. Member's question.

HEALTH

Biological Agents

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contingency plans he has developed to protect the public against anthrax, botulism and attacks with other biological agents; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The Department has extensive contingency planning in place. This includes arrangements to mitigate the effects of a terrorist act and to ensure response and recovery in conjunction with other Government Departments, the National Health Service and key public health agencies. Stocks of vaccine and antibiotics are available.
	The Public Health Laboratory Service has issued interim guidance, for healthcare professionals and the public, on the deliberate release of a number of biological agents including anthrax, smallpox, botulism and plague and this is available on their website.

Biological Agents

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what public health measures there are to deal with large-scale anthrax contamination in the UK; and what consideration has been given to the use of a vaccination.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 12 November 2001
	Plans are in place to enable appropriate measures to be taken to protect the health of the United Kingdom population, should such an attack occur, or be suspected. These plans are under constant development and review. Interim guidelines for action in the event of a deliberate release of anthrax can be found on the website of the Public Health Laboratory Service.
	Anthrax vaccine is currently only given to the public for protection against occupational exposure where this is considered likely to occur.

Breast Screening

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measure she is taking to assess the efficacy of the breast screening programme.

John Hutton: It is the role of the Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer Screening (ACBCS) to consider all research papers published on the subject of breast cancer screening. The national health service breast screening programme is kept under constant re-examination and vigilance. The ACBCS met on 31 October 2001, and in light of recent publications in the medical journals, agreed to review the evidence in the Forrest Report 1 , on which the NHS breast screening programme was based. The committee last reviewed this evidence formally in 1991.
	The review will be led by Professor Valerie Beral, Chair of the committee, in conjunction with the Institute of Cancer Research and the NHS cancer screening programmes. A first draft of the report will be presented at the committee's next meeting on 15 May 2002.
	1 Breast Cancer Screening Report to the Health Ministers of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland by a working group chaired by Professor Sir Patrick Forrest (HMSO 2986).

Waiting Times (Bath)

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on trends in waiting times for (a) orthopaedic out patient appointments and (b) orthopaedic operations at the Royal United hospital, Bath in the last 12 months.

Hazel Blears: The latest published information shows that in the year to the end of September 2001 the percentage of patients waiting for orthopaedic inpatient and day case treatment who were seen in under 12 months remained the same. The proportion of orthopaedic outpatients who have waited over 26 weeks has increased over the same period.
	The Royal United hospital, Bath national health service trust is taking a number of measures to ensure that the number of patients who have to wait for an outpatient appointment or for treatment is reduced. The number of orthopaedic clinics is being increased and an additional 1,000 new patients will be seen between now and the end of March 2002. This action is designed to ensure that no patients are waiting over 26 weeks for an outpatient appointment by the end of March 2002.
	The trust is also taking measures to ensure that the number of patients waiting over 12 months for inpatient or day case treatment is reduced in line with the Government's target. An additional orthopaedic consultant will be appointed shortly. An additional three orthopaedic recovery beds opened at the end of October providing high care for patients following major surgery. Eighteen extra beds have also been opened on a temporary basis at St. Martin's hospital for the rehabilitation of orthopaedic patients. Additional weekend elective orthopaedic operating lists have been running throughout this year. The trust has already commissioned 100 orthopaedic cases at the local private hospital and is making arrangements with the private sector for an additional 400 patients to be seen this year.

Nurses

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were (a) employed by the NHS, (b) recruited and (c) left the NHS in (i) 1993, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 2001.

John Hutton: The number of nurses employed by the National Health Service in 1993, 1997 and 2000 is shown in the table.
	A new system of classification of the non-medical workforce was introduced in 1995. Therefore, the figure given for 1993 is not comparable with those collected after this date.
	Information regarding the number of nurses recruited into and leaving the NHS is not collected centrally.
	
		Hospital and community health service qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff including practice nurses as at 30 September 
		
			 Year Headcount 
		
		
			 1993 310,900 
			 1997 318,860 
			 2000 335,950 
		
	
	Notes:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest ten
	A new classification of the non-medical workforce was introduced in 1995. Information based on this classification is not directly comparable with earlier years
	Source:
	Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

Waiting Lists

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the in-patient waiting list is, expressed as per 1,000 head of weighted population, for (a) each health authority and (b) in total in England for the last two years for which figures are available.

John Hutton: The number of in-patients waiting at end March 2001 and March 2000 are shown in the table, (March 2001 data are the most recent data available).
	
		In-patient waiting list per 1,000 head of weighted population
		
			 Health authority March 2001 March 2000 
		
		
			 Avon 20.7 20.9 
			 Barking and Havering 24.8 25.8 
			 Barnet 15.8 15.8 
			 Barnsley 17.2 16.9 
			 Bedfordshire 19.8 18.5 
			 Berkshire 18.9 18.8 
			 Bexley and Greenwich 17.0 19.0 
			 Birmingham 12.8 12.7 
			 Bradford 19.3 19.9 
			 Brent and Harrow 17.1 17.6 
			 Bromley 20.8 22.0 
			 Buckinghamshire 21.8 20.7 
			 Bury and Rochdale 22.1 22.9 
			 Calderdale and Kirklees 16.8 18.9 
			 Cambridgeshire 21.0 21.5 
			 Camden and Islington 10.5 12.1 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 24.6 25.1 
			 County Durham and Darlington 16.5 17.4 
			 Coventry 13.3 12.8 
			 Croydon 20.0 19.3 
			 Doncaster 12.1 12.5 
			 Dorset 12.7 13.3 
			 Dudley 16.5 14.5 
			 East and North Hertfordshire 24.4 26.3 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow 16.6 18.0 
			 East Kent 26.6 27.0 
			 East Lancashire 21.2 22.0 
			 East London and City 14.4 14.4 
			 East Riding and Hull 20.1 20.4 
			 East Surrey 22.9 24.4 
			 East Sussex, Brighton and Hove 23.2 23.7 
			 Enfield and Haringey 19.9 19.7 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside 18.5 19.8 
			 Gloucestershire 15.1 16.0 
			 Herefordshire 16.9 19.1 
			 Hillingdon 15.5 15.2 
			 Isle of Wight 24.8 25.7 
			 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster 8.5 9.2 
			 Kingston and Richmond 20.7 18.6 
			 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 17.9 19.2 
			 Leeds 18.4 19.1 
			 Leicestershire 18.8 18.5 
			 Lincolnshire 24.3 25.4 
			 Liverpool 20.1 20.9 
			 Manchester 20.4 21.2 
			 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth 15.1 15.3 
			 Morecambe Bay 20.3 20.0 
			 Newcastle and North Tyneside 13.9 15.0 
			 Norfolk 25.8 25.4 
			 North and East Devon 23.7 23.3 
			 North and Mid Hampshire 22.3 22.3 
			 North Cheshire 28.4 27.4 
			 North Cumbria 22.5 23.1 
			 North Derbyshire 22.1 23.1 
			 North Essex 25.6 27.3 
			 North Nottinghamshire 19.2 19.8 
			 North Staffordshire 10.7 13.4 
			 North West Lancashire 22.2 22.9 
			 North Yorkshire 18.7 21.1 
			 Northamptonshire 25.9 25.7 
			 Northumberland 15.4 15.9 
			 Nottingham 16.7 18.1 
			 Oxfordshire 19.2 19.1 
			 Portsmouth and South East Hampshire 20.6 19.7 
			 Redbridge and Waltham Forest 22.5 23.8 
			 Rotherham 14.4 14.3 
			 Salford and Trafford 24.0 25.8 
			 Sandwell 13.2 13.6 
			 Sefton 24.9 25.2 
			 Sheffield 17.8 18.0 
			 Shropshire 16.9 17.1 
			 Solihull 17.6 17.8 
			 Somerset 24.2 24.7 
			 South and West Devon 21.8 23.1 
			 South Cheshire 21.7 21.7 
			 South Essex 24.1 24.1 
			 South Humber 24.0 27.6 
			 South Lancashire 28.2 29.3 
			 South Staffordshire 24.6 25.3 
			 Southampton and South West Hamptonshire 26.4 28.1 
			 Southern Derbyshire 21.9 22.4 
			 St. Helens and Knowsley 23.3 23.6 
			 Stockport 23.8 24.0 
			 Suffolk 24.2 24.0 
			 Sunderland 18.3 18.4 
			 Tees 17.6 17.0 
			 Wakefield 19.7 21.2 
			 Walsall 9.7 9.5 
			 Warwickshire 22.2 22.4 
			 West Hertfordshire 20.0 20.6 
			 West Kent 26.5 28.3 
			 West Pennine 25.2 25.3 
			 West Surrey 25.7 27.1 
			 West Sussex 25.1 26.2 
			 Wigan and Bolton 21.2 22.7 
			 Wiltshire 22.0 24.8 
			 Wirral 14.0 14.0 
			 Wolverhampton 13.9 14.3 
			 Worcestershire 20.0 20.6 
			 England 20.0 20.6 
		
	
	Note:
	Population is weighted for age, additional need (over and above that accounted for by age) and variations in the unavoidable cost of providing healthcare (market forces factor etc.)
	Source:
	QF01 waiting times returns/FD Resource Allocation 2 population data

Cancelled Operations

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) cancelled operations in total, (b) operations cancelled on the day of operation and (c) operations cancelled and not readmitted within one month there were in each health authority in England in each quarter during the last two years for which figures are available.

John Hutton: The latest published figures are for quarter one 2001–02. Copies of quarterly statistics on cancelled operations by health authority for the last two years are available in the Library.
	Data are collected on the number of operations cancelled at the last minute. Data are not broken down into whether the operation was cancelled on the day of surgery or the day of admission to hospital.

Rural Recruitment (Consultants)

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to recruit (a) general consultants and (b) consultants in neurology in rural areas.

John Hutton: The NHS plan states there will be 7,500 more consultants in post in 2004 than in 1999. By September 2000 the number of consultants in post had already increased by 1,100 to around 24,300. The national health service is currently drawing up plans by specialty to deliver the rest of the increase, a further 6,400 posts by 2004. We will ensure that these plans target areas of the country which are under-doctored relative to their weighted population.
	In 2000 the number of consultant neurologists was 688, an increase of 31 (4.7 per cent.) over 1999. As well as the NHS plan consultant increases we aim to achieve a 54 per cent. expansion in training neurology specialists by 2010.

Private Treatment

Gerry Steinberg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many private beds were available in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many private hospitals there were in each of the last five years.

John Hutton: The table sets out the number of independent acute medical and surgical hospitals and beds in the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2001.
	
		
			  Hospitals Beds 
		
		
			 1997 227 11,100 
			 1998 229 10,852 
			 1999 228 10,565 
			 2000 225 9,980 
			 2001 222 9,834 
		
	
	Source:
	Laing's Healthcare Market Review 2001–2001, Laing and Buisson

Private Treatment

Gerry Steinberg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been admitted to NHS hospitals from non-NHS hospitals in the last five years.

John Hutton: The table sets out the number of admissions from non-national health service run hospitals to NHS trusts in England, 1995–96 to 1999–2000.
	
		
			 Year Admissions 
		
		
			 1995–96 (12)21,160 
			 1996–97 5,153 
			 1997–98 7,050 
			 1998–99 7,241 
			 1999–2000 6,934 
		
	
	(12) A breakdown by type of non-NHS institution was not available prior to 1996–97, so the figure for 1995–96 is for total admissions to NHS trusts from non-NHS institutions, including, but not exclusively, hospitals.
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health

Chiropodists and Podiatrists

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if chiropodists and podiatrists in private practice will be represented on the Health Professions Council; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: All registered professionals, whether they work in the private sector or not, will be represented on the new council. The council will also be able to recruit additional members to its committees including its professional advisory panels, and will be encouraged to cover all sectors of the professions.

Chiropodists and Podiatrists

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if podiatrists and chiropodists in private practice will be recognised for the purposes of state registration; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The new Health Professions Council will determine arrangements for the admission to its register for each of the professions it regulates. Chiropodists and podiatrists who meet the council's standards for registration will be recognised as state registered.
	Special transitional arrangements will enable those whose training and competence do not meet the council's standards to be recognised for registration purposes.

Contaminated Blood Transfusions

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the recommendations of the Scottish Executive's Health and Community Care Committee regarding financial assistance to haemophilia sufferers infected with hepatitis C as a result of receiving contaminated blood transfusions.

John Hutton: holding answer 12 November 2001
	The devolved Administration in Scotland is considering these recommendations. We currently have no plans to compensate haemophiliacs who become infected with hepatitis C through national health service blood products.

NHS (Overseas Staff)

Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of how many (a) refugees and (b) those with special immigration status with medical qualifications have been prevented from working in the national health service by their inability to speak English to an adequate level in the last five years.

John Hutton: All doctors from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) need to pass the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) test before they can be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). The majority of doctors who took their primary medical qualification outside the EEA also need to pass the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test of medical and linguistic competence before registration is granted.
	Passing the PLAB test is a pre-condition of registration for those doctors required to take it. Doctors are entitled to five attempts at the test. Those who fail it five times are prevented from registering with the GMC, and thus prevented from practising medicine in the national health service.
	The GMC's records do not show how many of the doctors who fail the PLAB test five times are, in fact, from the refugee community. There is therefore no way of telling whether any refugee doctor has been prevented from getting work in the NHS by his or her ability to speak English.

NHS (Overseas Staff)

Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the contribution that could be made to the national health service by (a) refugees and (b) those with special immigration status holding medical qualifications.

John Hutton: The NHS plan holds a commitment to provide extra doctors to the national health service, and we believe it makes moral and economic sense to use the skills of doctors in the refugee community to the best advantage of the NHS.
	A Government funded database, developed and run by the Refugee Council and the British Medical Association, shows that there are nearly 400 refugee doctors who want information about retraining to work in the United Kingdom. More are expected to come forward as word gets around about the availability of Government funded counselling and training to help those wanting careers in the NHS becomes more widely understood.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Education Rights

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which categories of person having regard to age, marital status, duration of residence in the UK, immigration status, nationality and other characteristics, are eligible for (a) free statutory-age schooling, (b) free nursery education, (c) free education in colleges of further education and (d) education in higher education institutions, free other than through contributions to home students' tuition fees.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 16 October 2001
	Any child of compulsory school age living in England is entitled to free education. All four-year-olds are entitled to three terms of free, good quality, part-time nursery education before they reach compulsory school age regardless of duration of residence in the UK, immigration status, nationality or any other characteristics.
	Three-year-olds are entitled to a free, good quality, part-time nursery education place depending on their age and their local early years development and childcare partnership's allocation criteria. Early years development and childcare partnerships must allocate places based on social need.
	The Learning and Skills Council is responsible for determining when tuition fees are to be charged for further education courses. Advice to institutions for the current academic year is that, subject to residency requirements, tuition fees should not be charged to any learner aged 16 to 18 on either a full-time or part-time course. Other groups not charged tuition fees include: those receiving jobseekers' allowance (JSA); those receiving a means- tested state benefit; unwaged dependants (as defined by the Benefits Agency) of those listed above; people on adult basic education or English for speakers of other languages programmes; asylum seekers in receipt of the equivalent of a means-tested benefit (assistance under the terms of the 1999 Immigration and Asylum Act), and their dependants; and, certain learners participating in Council funded projects (only where identified in the project specification).
	Higher education institutions, as independent, self- governing bodies, decide whether to charge students tuition fees at the 'home' rate or the higher 'overseas' rate using the Education (Fees and Awards) Regulations 1997, (as amended). To be eligible for home fee status, students usually need to have 'settled status' in the UK and have been ordinarily resident here for three years before their course starts, except where this was solely or mainly to receive full-time education. Students meeting these requirements will be classed as "home" students for tuition fee purposes. Broadly speaking, these will include, in most cases, UK and other European Union students, students with recognised refugee status, other students granted the right to enter or remain and who meet the UK residence requirement, and migrant workers from the European Economic Area. Students not meeting these requirements may be charged fees at the 'overseas' rate.

Early Excellence Centres

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the location of the early excellence centres which (a) are in operation, (b) are in the process of implementation and (c) are planned, and what are the criteria for locations to be included in each element of the programme.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 13 November 2001
	The Early Excellence Centre (EEC) programme is at the forefront of our policies to develop practice in integrated care, education and family services.
	(a) The early excellence centres which are in operation are in:
	Bath and North East Somerset
	Bolton
	Bradford
	Bristol
	Camden
	Coventry
	Cumbria
	Cornwall
	Derbyshire
	Gateshead
	Greenwich
	Hammersmith and Fulham
	Hampshire
	Haringey
	Hertfordshire
	Kirklees
	Leeds
	Liverpool
	Manchester
	Newham
	North Tyneside
	North East Lincolnshire
	Northamptonshire
	Northumberland
	Oxfordshire
	Portsmouth
	Richmond-upon-Thames
	Rotherham
	Sheffield (2)
	Somerset
	Stockport
	South Tyneside
	St. Helens
	Westminster
	Wirral.
	(b) On 1 October we announced 14 new centres in Birmingham, Cornwall, Derby, Hackney, Herefordshire, Hillingdon, Islington, Kingston-upon-Thames, Lewisham, Rotherham, Surrey, Wirral and two projects working with the NHS, newborn hearing screening programme (NHSP) in Stockport and Waltham Forest. We are working with these centres to implement their proposals. At the same time we are continuing to receive further expressions of interest in joining the programme and to discuss with a number of individual centres how their plans could be developed further.
	(c) Working closely with sure start and neighbourhood nurseries, we plan to have up to 100 centres across the country by 2004. The criteria for joining the programme are set out in the latest invitation to join the programme sent to all local authorities, early years development and childcare partnerships and other partners on 1 October. Location is not the prime criterion: quality of provision is, but our plans for the programme do include achieving good geographic spread.

Teachers (Ethnic Minorities)

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 5 November 2001, to the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Official Report, column 54W, on teachers from ethnic minorities, how many teachers from ethnic minorities have (a) started training, (b) completed training and (c) started teaching, for the last two years for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: The Teacher Training Agency's (TTA) performance profiles collects information about initial teacher trainees at institutions in England. The most recent figures relate to the academic year 1999–2000. The following table shows the numbers and relevant proportions of first year trainees from an ethnic minority in the years 1998–99 and 1999–2000.
	
		Number of first year trainees
		
			 Year From an ethnic minority Ethnicity undisclosed 
		
		
			 1998–99 1,634 (6%) 1,951 (7%) 
			 1999–2000 1,701 (7%) 934 (4%) 
		
	
	Source:
	Teacher Training Agency, Performance Profiles
	The TTA's Performance Profiles also collect information relating to final year trainees. The most recent figures relate to final year trainees in academic year 1999–2000. The following table shows the numbers and relevant proportions of trainees awarded qualified teacher status (QTS) that are from an ethnic minority for final year trainees in 1998–99 and 1999–2000.
	
		Number of final year trainees awarded QTS
		
			 Year From an ethnic minority Ethnicity undisclosed 
		
		
			 1998–99 1,388 (6%) 1,940 (8%) 
			 1999–2000 1,260 (6%) 901 (4%) 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures relate to the numbers of trainees that gained QTS by 31 July of their final year of training (i.e July 2000 for final year trainees in 1999–2000)
	Source:
	Teacher Training Agency, Performance Profiles
	The TTA's performance profiles also collects information about the movements of final year trainees that gain QTS into the teaching profession. The following table shows the numbers and relevant proportions of trainees that were awarded QTS and were subsequently recorded as entering a teaching post in England, that are from an ethnic minority.
	
		Number of final year trainees awarded QTS and entered teaching
		
			 Year From an ethnic minority Ethnicity undisclosed 
		
		
			 1998–99 1,027 (6%) 1,509 (8%) 
			 1999–2000 959 (5%) 692 (4%) 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures relate to the numbers of qualified trainees that were in a teaching post by 3 January following their final year of training (i.e. January 2001 for final year trainees in 1999–2000).
	Source:
	Teacher Training Agency, Performance Profiles

Teacher Vacancies

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the teacher vacancy rate was in (a) nursery/ primary schools, (b) secondary schools and (c) all schools in (i) the constituency of South Suffolk, (ii) the constituency of West Suffolk (iii) the constituency of Ipswich, (iv) the constituency of Suffolk, Coastal, (v) the constituency of Central Suffolk and Ipswich, North, (vi) the constituency of Bury St. Edmunds, (vii) Suffolk local education authority, (viii) East Anglia and (ix) England in (A) 1997–98, (B) 1998–99, (C) 1999–2000 and (D) 2000–01.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 31 October 2001
	Information on teacher vacancies by constituency is not collected centrally. Teacher vacancy rates in the maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools sector from 1998 to 2001, in Suffolk, the east of England government office region and England were as follows:
	
		Percentage 
		
			  January 1998 January 1999 January 2000 January 2001 
		
		
			 Nursery and primary 
			 Suffolk 0.4 0.7 0.4 2.2 
			 East of England 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.7 
			 England 0.8 0.8 0.8 1.2 
			  
			 Secondary 
			 Suffolk 0.5 0.6 0.4 1.6 
			 East of England 0.7 0.7 0.8 1.7 
			 England 0.6 0.5 0.7 1.4 
			  
			  Maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special sector 
			 Suffolk 0.5 0.8 0.5 1.8 
			 East of England 0.8 0.8 0.9 1.7 
			 England 0.7 0.7 0.8 1.4

Foreign National Teachers (Surrey)

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many foreign nationals were employed as (a) primary and (b) secondary school teachers in Surrey during the (i) 2000–01 academic year and (ii) previous four academic years.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 30 October 2001
	The information is not held centrally.

Teacher Vacancies (Surrey)

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) primary and (b) secondary teacher vacancies there were in Surrey on 1 September in each year since 1997.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 30 October 2001
	The information is not available in the form requested. Nursery, primary and secondary full-time teacher vacancies in Surrey in January of each year since 1997, reported by the local education authority, were as follows:
	
		
			 Year Nursery and primary Secondary 
		
		
			 1997 18 19 
			 1998 27 14 
			 1999 11 9 
			 2000 13 24 
			 2001 25 62

Performance-related Pay

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has issued to schools regarding assessment of teachers for the upper spine of performance-related pay.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 13 November 2001
	The Department's guidance on School Teachers' Pay and Conditions of Employment 2001 includes a section entitled "Threshold and Upper Pay Scale" and Annexe A includes a section entitled "Handling Performance Pay". The Secretary of State will soon launch a consultation on the mechanism for specific funding to contribute towards the cost to schools of awarding performance pay points to teachers.

Teachers (Maintained Schools)

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the number of permanent teaching posts in maintained schools which were not filled on the first day of the current term; and what percentage this is of the total number of permanent teaching posts.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 15 October 2001
	It is estimated, based on a telephone survey conducted on 6–7 September 2001, that there were about 2,000 full-time vacancies (0.6 per cent. of posts) in nursery, primary and secondary schools.
	These figures were obtained from a telephone survey of nearly 1,500 schools conducted by DfES. Teacher vacancies are measured using the standard DfES definition, which excludes posts filled by a full-time teacher on a contract of one term or more.

Ministerial Travel

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her written answer of 7 November 2001, Official Report, columns 245–46W, on ministerial travel, what was the (a) purpose, (b) duration and (c) cost of each of the ministerial visits.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 13 November 2001
	The purpose, duration and cost of each of the ministerial visits since 1 May 1997 are set out in the following tables. Recurrent meetings are given in the first table; one off trips in the second.
	
		
			 Purpose Average duration (days) Average cost (£) 
		
		
			 Attending Social Affairs Council Meeting x 25 1 1,600 
			 Attending Education Council Meeting x 7 2 1,000 
			 Attending OECD Conference Meeting x 6 1 1,400 
			 Attending G8 Conference x 5 4 6,350 
			 Attending ILO Conference x 4 2 1,100 
			 Attending Youth Council Meeting x 4 1 800 
			 Attending Higher Education Conference x 4 3 1,050 
			 Attending UNESCO Conference x 2 1 1,000 
			 Promoting Higher Education and Vocational Education x 2 8 10,600 
			 Attending Skills Olympics x 2 4 4,400 
			 Promoting Education Exports x 2 8 10,900 
			 Attending European Higher Education Meeting x 2 2 925 
			 Attending Meeting of Employment and Social Policy Council x 2 2 1,600 
		
	
	
		
			 Purpose Duration (days) Cost (£) 
		
		
			 Attending Commonwealth Ministers Conference 8 15,600 
			 Meeting to discuss Disability and New Deal Schemes 4 11,000 
			 Attending Meeting with French Minister 1 850 
			 Promoting Apprenticeship Schemes (BMW) 1 1,200 
			 Attending European Employment Week Conference 1 550 
			 Attending Meeting with Swedish Labour Minister 1 1,050 
			 Attending Meeting with Dutch Minister 1 850 
			 Attending European Policy Conference 2 550 
			 Attending Meetings with Representatives of the European Parliament 1 950 
			 Attending Meeting with European Ministers 1 2,400 
			 Attending Labour Standards Symposium 1 900 
			 Attending Meeting with Spanish Ministers of Education and Employment 1 1,650 
			 Attending Equal Opportunities Conference 4 2,050 
			 Attending EU Employment Ministers Conference 3 2,000 
			 Attending School Reform Conference 4 8,450 
			 Attending Disability Conference 1 750 
			 Delivering Speech to Quandt Foundation 1 750 
			 Attending Meeting to Discuss National Parliaments Action Plans 1 700 
			 Attending Joint EC and Eastern Europe Education Council 3 1,150 
			 Meeting to Discuss European Voluntary Service Conciliation 1 1,200 
			 Attending Anglo-Italian Seminar 1 1,250 
			 Attending European Commission Annual Forum 1 1,450 
			 Attending Human Rights Conference 10 23,450 
			 Attending Bilaterals with Education and Employment Ministers 1 2,300 
			 Attendance at Lifelong Learning Conference 3 8,950 
			 Attending Anglo-Spanish Employment Conference 2 1,300 
			 Attending Education Conference 2 650 
			 Attending BTI Conference 1 5,500 
			 Attending Education and Employment Conference 1 3,200 
			 Participating in Education Bilateral 1 1,550 
			 Promoting Education and Training 7 7,700 
			 Attending Meeting with EU Labour Ministers 2 0 
			 Attending People and Politics Seminar 1 750 
			 Attending Head Teachers Conference 1 450 
			 Visiting Centre for Income and Work 1 950 
			 Attending Conference and Undertaking School Visits 11 9,900 
			 Attending Meeting with Finnish Ministers 1 1,550 
			 Attending Meeting with Polish Employment Ministers 1 1,400 
			 Attending Meeting of Social Affairs Ministers 2 1,850 
			 Attending Meetings on Disability, Childcare and Equal Opportunities 7 11,900 
			 Attending Meetings with EU and Central and Eastern European Ministers 2 650 
			 Promoting Modern Apprenticeships 2 1,800 
			 Attending CERI Governing Board Meeting and Conference on Harnessing the Potential 1 1,100 
			 Attending Welfare to Work Conference 8 12,600 
			 Attending Meeting for Portuguese Presidency 2 650 
			 Attending "One" Workshop 1 900 
			 Attending Europe Globalisation and Future of Social Policy Conference 1 1,450 
			 Attending European School Net Conference 1 250 
			 Attending World Social Summit 1 1,400 
			 Attending Work, Culture and Identity Conference 1 1,250 
			 Attending Meeting with Swedish Employment Ministers 1 1,050 
			 Attending Ageism Conference 1 950 
			 Attending Conference for Finnish Presidency 2 650 
			 Attending European Diversity in the Workplace Conference 4 1,050 
			 Attending NAHT Annual Conference 1 850 
			 Attending Meeting to Discuss Anglo-Sino Education Agreement 7 20,300 
			 Attending Meeting with Russian Education Ministers 4 4,050 
			 Meeting with British Council and Undertaking School Visits 6 11,350 
			 Meeting to Discuss Article 13 1 750 
			 Promoting Early Years Providers 4 2,400 
			 Attending Ministers Conference in France 1 500 
			 Attending Learning Communities Conference 8 6,600 
			 Attending Middle East Education and Labour Conference 4 4,800 
			 Promoting Early Years and Employment Programme 2 2,600 
			 Attending EU Education and Employment Conference 2 850 
			 Attending Education Conference 6 9,850 
			 Attending EU, Latin American and Caribbean Conference 1 950 
			 Attending Mobility Meeting 1 450 
			 Undertaking Visit to Institute of Florence 2 600 
			 Forum on Education and Employment 1 350 
			 Promoting British Education System 8 12,050 
			 Attending Meeting with British Council 2 700 
			 Attending Work Life Balance Conference 1 1,500 
			 Promoting Education, Employment and Training 1 3,950 
			 Attending Meeting with EU Education Ministers 2 900 
			 Attending Meetings of Ministers for Telecommunications and Employment 1 2,600 
			 Attending Meeting with Higher Education Ministers 1 700 
			 Attending Club 3 Conference 2 500 
			 Attending NASUWT Conference 1 650 
			 Attending EU Education and Youth Conference 1 500 
			 Attending Meeting to Discuss the Delivery of Employment Services 1 550 
			 Attending EU Education Ministers Conference 2 2,950 
			 Attending ICT Conference 4 250 
		
	
	Note:
	All travel complied with the requirements of the "Ministerial Code" and "Travel by Ministers".

Staff Retention (Secondary Schools)

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the rates of staff retention in (a) secondary schools with sixth forms and (b) secondary schools without sixth forms.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 13 November 2001
	This information is not held centrally.

Qualified Teacher Status

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her written answer of 31 October 2001, Official Report, column 714W, how many full-time equivalent teachers there were without qualified teacher status in maintained schools in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) those on the graduate teacher programme, (b) those on the registered teacher programme, (c) those on the licensed teacher programme, (d) those on the overseas trained teacher scheme, (e) instructors and (f) other teachers without QTS.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 5 November 2001
	The number of teachers on each of the programmes specified are not identified separately. Numbers of teachers without qualified teacher status (QTS) working in the maintained schools sector in England between January 1997 and January 2001 were as follows:
	
		(full-time equivalents) 
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Teachers on routes to QTS(13) 460 570 470 580 1,280 
			 Instructors and other teachers without QTS(14) 2,480 2,640 3,070 3,240 4,340 
			  
			 Total 2,940 3,220 3,540 3,820 5,620 
		
	
	(13) Those on the graduate teacher programme, registered teacher programme, licensed teacher scheme and overseas trained teacher scheme
	(14) Includes overseas-trained teachers employed on contracts of at least one month and not currently seeking QTS.
	Note:
	Totals may not equal the sum of their component parts due to rounding. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	When deciding whether to employ an instructor without QTS, headteachers take into account the fact that they can often bring valuable skills and experience to the classroom, particularly in subjects that have a high practical content. Instructors also include teachers without qualifications obtained overseas who are not currently seeking QTS.
	There were 410,200 regular teachers in maintained schools in England in January 2001, 11,000 more than in January 1997.

Overseas Teachers

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimates she has made of the number of teachers in maintained schools who were not British citizens in each term of the last four years.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 15 October 2001
	Information on teachers who are not British citizens is not collected centrally.

Overseas Teachers

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many overseas teachers employed in maintained schools are not covered by the overseas trained teacher scheme.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Teachers (Huntingdon)

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) primary and (b) secondary teacher vacancies there were in Huntingdon (i) on 31 March and (ii) in each year since 1996.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 16 October 2001
	The information requested for Huntingdon is not held centrally.
	Full-time vacancies for teachers in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in the former Cambridgeshire local authority area were as follows:
	
		
			   Nursery/primary  Secondary  Total  
			  Number of vacancies Vacancy rate (percentage)(15) Number of vacancies Vacancy rate (percentage)(15) Number of vacancies Vacancy rate (percentage)(15) 
		
		
			 Cambridgeshire   
			 January(16)   
			 1996(17) 3 0.1 10 0.4 13 0.3 
			 1997(17) 2 0.1 4 0.2 6 0.1 
			 1998(17) 1 0.0 6 0.3 7 0.1 
			 1999 1 0.1 0 0.0 1 0.0 
			 2000 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 
			 2001 2 0.1 1 0.1 3 0.1 
			 Peterborough   
			 January(16)   
			 1996(17) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1997(17) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1998(17) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1999 0 0.0 2 0.3 2 0.1 
			 2000 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 
			 2001 3 0.5 4 0.6 7 0.5 
			 Total   
			 January(16)   
			 1996(17) 3 0.1 10 0.4 13 0.3 
			 1997(17) 2 0.1 4 0.2 6 0.1 
			 1998(17) 1 0.0 6 0.3 7 0.1 
			 1999 1 0.0 2 0.1 3 0.1 
			 2000 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 
			 2001 5 0.2 5 0.2 10 0.2 
		
	
	(15) The vacancy rate is calculated by dividing the number of vacancies by the sum of full-time qualified regular teachers plus teachers on full-time secondment for a term or more
	(16) Details of teacher vacancies at 31 March of each year are not available
	(17) Cambridgeshire local authority was affected by the local government re-organisation (LGR) on 1 April 1998, when it became two authorities, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Figures for 1996 to 1998 are for the Cambridgeshire local authority prior to LGR

Teachers (Huntingdon)

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school teachers were employed in Huntingdon (i) on 31 March and (ii) in each year since 1996.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 16 October 2001
	The information requested for Huntingdon is not held centrally.
	Full-time equivalents of regular teachers (excluding short term supply) employed in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in the former Cambridgeshire local authority area were as follows:
	
		
			 January(18) 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			  Cambridgeshire(19) 
			 Nursery/primary 2,740 2,690 2,600 1,950 1,990 2,040 
			 Secondary 2,630 2,500 2,570 1,800 1,810 1,840 
			 Total 5,360 5,190 5,170 3,740 3,790 3,880 
			
			 Peterborough   
			 Nursery/primary n/a n/a n/a 680 720 720 
			 Secondary n/a n/a n/a 810 820 730 
			 Total n/a n/a n/a 1,490 1,540 1,450 
			   
			 Total   
			 Nursery/primary 2,740 2,690 2,600 2,630 2,710 2,760 
			 Secondary 2,630 2,500 2,570 2,600 2,630 2,570 
			 Total 5,360 5,190 5,170 5,230 5,340 5,330 
		
	
	(18) Details of teachers in service at 31 March of each year are not available.
	(19) Cambridgeshire local authority was affected by the local government re-organisation (LGR) on 1 April 1998, when it became two authorities, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Figures for 1996 to 1998 are for the Cambridgeshire local authority prior to LGR.

Teachers (Age Profile)

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) male and (b) female teachers in each year between 1990 and 2001 were aged (i) under 25, (ii) 25 to 29, (iii) 30 to 34, (iv) 35 to 39, (v) 40 to 44, (vi) 45 to 49, (vii) 50 to 54, (viii) 55 to 59, (ix) 60 to 64, (x) 65 years plus and (xi) unknown.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 15 October 2001
	Full-time regular teachers in the maintained schools sector of England, excluding sixth form colleges, 1990 to 2000 (the last year for which data of teacher characteristics are available), by sex and age, are shown in the table 1 :
	
		Thousand 
		
			  1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Men
			 Under 25 1.9 1.8 1.7 1.9 2.3 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0 2.9 2.7 
			 25–29 9.3 9.0 8.9 8.8 9.2 9.9 10.6 11.4 12.3 12.5 12.6 
			 30–34 16.1 14.2 12.9 12.2 12.0 11.9 12.0 12.2 12.4 12.7 13.0 
			 35–39 29.3 26.2 23.3 20.8 18.6 16.9 15.3 14.3 13.6 13.2 13.2 
			 40–44 33.5 34.5 33.3 31.9 30.6 28.3 25.8 23.3 20.9 18.5 16.8 
			 45–49 21.1 22.0 25.0 27.5 29.1 30.6 32.0 31.1 29.8 28.4 26.1 
			 49–54 14.2 13.8 13.9 14.3 14.4 15.2 15.6 17.2 18.3 21.1 23.3 
			 55–59 7.7 7.2 7.1 6.8 6.3 6.1 5.7 5.3 5.1 6.1 7.2 
			 60–64 2.4 2.2 2.0 2.0 1.6 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.1 
			 65 and over 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 
			 
			 Women
			 Under 25 10.1 9.3 9.1 9.5 10.6 11.9 12.4 13.3 14.0 13.6 13.8 
			 25–29 26.8 27.5 28.5 29.5 30.6 31.9 33.4 35.8 38.5 40.5 42.2 
			 30–34 27.6 25.0 23.4 22.5 22.7 24.0 25.4 26.9 27.8 28.5 29.2 
			 35–39 41.9 40.4 38.2 35.5 32.6 29.7 27.0 24.9 23.4 22.9 23.3 
			 40–44 48.3 51.1 52.0 52.0 51.5 50.0 47.7 44.9 41.8 37.7 34.0 
			 45–49 35.7 36.6 40.7 44.2 47.1 50.4 53.5 54.2 53.8 53.2 51.1 
			 49–54 28.5 27.4 27.0 27.3 27.4 28.4 29.1 31.6 33.2 37.4 41.1 
			 55–59 15.7 15.1 14.9 14.7 13.9 13.6 12.8 11.8 11.3 12.9 14.5 
			 60–64 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.8 2.6 2.4 2.2 2.1 1.9 1.9 1.9 
			 65 and over 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
			 Men and women 
			 Under 25 12.0 11.1 10.8 11.4 12.9 14.5 15.2 16.2 17.1 16.5 16.5 
			 25–29 36.2 36.4 37.4 38.4 39.9 41.9 43.9 47.1 50.8 52.9 54.8 
			 30–34 43.7 39.2 36.3 37.4 34.6 35.9 37.4 39.2 40.3 41.2 42.2 
			 35–39 71.2 66.6 61.5 56.3 51.2 46.6 42.3 39.2 37.0 36.1 36.5 
			 40–44 81.8 85.6 85.3 83.9 82.0 78.2 73.6 68.2 62.7 56.2 50.7 
			 45–49 56.8 58.6 65.7 71.7 76.2 81.0 85.5 85.3 83.5 81.6 77.1 
			 49–54 42.7 41.2 40.8 41.5 41.8 43.7 44.7 48.8 51.5 58.5 64.5 
			 55–59 23.4 22.3 21.9 21.5 20.2 19.6 18.5 17.0 16.5 19.0 21.7 
			 60–64 5.4 5.2 5.0 4.7 4.2 3.8 3.4 3.2 3.1 3.0 3.0 
			 65 and over 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
			 
			 Age and sex not known(21) 0.0 2.8 1.8 4.0 5.5 4.3 4.3 3.5 3.2 2.6 2.9 
			 
			 Part-time (fte)(21),(22) 24.2 25.5 27.2 27.5 28.5 29.9 30.8 31.2 32.0 33.3 34.7 
			 
			 Full-time and part-time (fte) 397.6 394.8 394.0 395.9 397.0 399.6 399.8 399.2 397.7 401.2 404.6 
		
	
	(20) Totals may not be the sum of the component parts because of rounding
	(21) For 1990 to 1992 the not known and part-time figures are estimated
	(22) Age and sex details of part-time teachers have not been given because about 10 per cent. to 20 per cent. of part-timers are not recorded on the Teachers' Pension Scheme, from which the data are obtained

Pupil Funding

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what was the average revenue funding per pupil in (a) foundation and (b) voluntary aided schools in (i)1997, (ii) 1998, (iii) 1999 and (iv) 2000.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 13 November 2001
	Data are not collected separately for foundation schools (this status has been in existence since September 1999) and voluntary aided schools.

Sixth Forms

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will maintain funding for school sixth forms in real terms in 2003–04.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 13 November 2001
	This Government remain committed to the real terms guarantee for school sixth form funding.

Sixth Forms

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to whom indicative budgets for individual school sixth forms in Worcestershire have been made available; and if she will publish them by 5 November.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 5 November 2001
	The first provisional allocations for school sixth forms will be notified to LEAs and made public by the Learning and Skills Council in December 2001. The baseline data on which the real terms guarantee for sixth forms will be calculated was the subject of consultation between the DfES and local education authorities in August. Schools also received the relevant provisional baseline data on which the Department consulted in early September as part of a guidance pack published by the Learning and Skills Council.

Teachers' Salaries

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will publish the average (a) starting and (b) top scale teachers' salaries in real terms in each of the last 20 years, in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools.

Stephen Timms: I will write to the hon. Member enclosing this information as soon as possible, and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Teachers' Salaries

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will publish comparative figures for (a) starting and (b) top scale teacher salaries in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools.

Stephen Timms: The information requested, which is published in the OECD annual "Education at a Glance", is shown in the following table and refers to 1999, the latest year for which information is available.
	
		Teacher statutory salaries by whether working in primary or secondary: 1999 -- Annual statutory pay, excluding bonuses converted to US dollars based on purchasing power parities
		
			   Primary  Lower secondary  Upper secondary  
			  Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum 
		
		
			 Australia 25,661 37,502 26,658 37,577 26,658 37,577 
			 Austria 21,804 44,159 22,421 46,735 24,027 54,443 
			 Belgium (FI) 22,901 36,594 23,428 40,017 29,075 40,461 
			 Belgium (Fr) 22,043 35,685 22,561 39,115 28,151 49,581 
			 Czech Republic 6,806 12,103 6,806 12,103 8,052 14,316 
			 Denmark 28,140 32,684 28,140 32,684 29,986 42,672 
			 England 19,999 33,540 19,999 33,540 19,999 33,540 
			 Finland 18,110 25,615 20,394 29,530 21,047 31,325 
			 France 19,761 39,271 21,918 41,537 21,918 41,537 
			 Germany 29,697 38,996 33,196 43,945 35,546 49,445 
			 Greece 19,327 28,027 19,650 28,987 19,650 28,987 
			 Hungary 5,763 11,105 5,763 11,105 6,908 13,217 
			 Iceland 19,939 25,377 19,939 25,377 20,775 30,954 
			 Ireland 21,940 40,141 23,033 40,532 23,033 40,523 
			 Italy 19,188 28,038 20,822 31,062 20,822 32,602 
			 Korea 23,759 62,281 23,613 62,135 23,613 62,135 
			 Mexico 10,465 22,345 13,357 27,643 n/a n/a 
			 Netherlands 25,896 37,381 26,874 41,066 27,133 54,720 
			 New Zealand 16,678 32,573 16,678 32,573 16,678 32,573 
			 Norway 22,194 27,453 22,194 27,453 22,194 27,453 
			 Portugal 18,751 50,061 18,751 50,061 18,751 50,061 
			 Scotland 19,765 32,858 19,765 32,858 19,765 32,858 
			 Spain 24,464 37,317 26,669 40,082 29,058 43,100 
			 Sweden 18,581 n/a 18,704 n/a 20,549 n/a 
			 Switzerland 33,209 51,813 39,162 60,165 46,866 70,548 
			 Turkey 9,116 11,541 8,144 10,568 8,144 10,568 
			 USA 25,707 43,094 25,155 44,397 25,405 44,394 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The OECD asks for statutory salary scale points but, where these are not available, countries can use survey data on actual salary and use approximations to identify equivalents to bottom and top of the scale.
	2. Some countries pay different salaries to teachers in primary and secondary schools although there is no such distinction in England. 'Lower secondary' is, broadly the 11–15 age range and upper secondary is 16–19.
	3. These salary comparisons can be only broadly indicative. Thus, they exclude extra allowances and yet, in England, many teachers at the top of the scale would also get management allowances. The figures pre-date the introduction of performance related pay but the OECD definition would exclude that too. There are other differences, for example in the treatment of employer social security payments.
	4. The time taken to get to the top of the scale varies markedly between countries and so, for example, a country with a high top scale point might require many years service to reach this and so the top point is not representative of the pay of most teachers.
	5. 'Purchasing power parties' are different from currency exchange rates and aim to reflect differences in price levels between countries and are more appropriate for those comparisons. Teacher salaries will also reflect the overall levels of national incomes and wages in national economies which is one reason why the range of salaries is so wide. There will be other such factors such as the average age of entry to teaching of new qualifiers. Salary will also reflect non-pay elements of remuneration and features of the teaching job such as hours, workload, job security, status all of which might vary between countries.
	Source:
	Tables D1.1a-c, OECD "Education at a Glance" 2001, published by OECD, Paris.

Early Years Education

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of early years settings employ a qualified teacher; and what the cost would be of placing a qualified teacher in every early years setting.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 13 November 2001
	Approximately 35,000 early years settings are registered to deliver Government funded nursery education. Of these, around 50 per cent. are local education authority maintained primary schools and nursery schools, all of which directly employ qualified teachers.
	We have asked local early years development and child care partnerships (EYDCPs), in association with their local education authorities, to ensure that a ratio of one teacher with qualified teacher status to every 10 early education settings in the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) sector is achieved by 2004.
	The approximate cost of placing a qualified teacher in every PVI sector setting would be £435 million per annum. We have no present plans to do this.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Haskins Report

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which hon. Members were given (a) notice of and (b) briefing on the content of Lord Haskins report prior to 12.30 pm on 18 October.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 24 October 2001
	I am not aware that any hon. Members were given advance notice of and briefing on the content of Lord Haskins report prior to 12.30 pm on 18 October. My noble Friend launched his report at 10.30 am on that day.

Agrimonetary Compensation

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to claim agrimonetary compensation from the EU; and if she will make a statement.

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to claim further agrimonetary compensation.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 5 November 2001
	Since 1997, a total of £785 million has been announced in agrimonetary compensation for farmers. Of this, £256 million has been optional. We have no plans to claim any agrimonetary compensation from the EU. Any future payments of agrimonetary compensation, to which the Exchequer would have to contribute at least 71p in every pound, must be balanced against the needs of other sectors and taxpayers.

Mink Farms

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many mink farms were operating in England and Wales on 28 February; and if she will list their locations by county.

Elliot Morley: As at 28 February 2001, there were the following licensed mink farms in England:
	
		
			 County Number 
		
		
			 Cornwall 1 
			 Dorset 1 
			 Hampshire 1 
			 Isle of Wight 1 
			 Lancashire 4 
			 Northumberland 1 
			 Staffordshire 1 
			 South Yorkshire 1 
			 West Yorkshire 1 
			  
			 Total 12

Mink Farms

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list all movements of farmed mink that took place in England and Wales during (a) 2000 and (b) 2001.

Elliot Morley: There is no requirement to inform the Department of the movement of mink. Under the Mink (Keeping) Regulations 1975 (as amended), such movements must be carried out in closed cages or other containers which prevent mink from escaping. The movement of farmed mink in Wales is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales. However, I understand that there have been no licensed mink farms in Wales for some years.

Mink Farms

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what dates each of the mink farms operating in England and Wales were inspected during 2001; and what plans there are to inspect farms after 30 September.

Elliot Morley: Mink farms in England were inspected on the following dates in 2001:
	
		
			 County Date of security inspections Date of welfare inspections 
		
		
			 Cornwall — 30 January 
			 Dorset 27 June — 
			 Hampshire 27 June 26 January 
			  16 July 2 February 
			  24 October  
			 Isle of Wight 14 June — 
			 Lancashire 3 April — 
			  4 April  
			 Northumberland 22 February — 
			 South Yorkshire 1 May — 
			 West Yorkshire 13 September — 
		
	
	Due to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease, a number of planned mid-year security and welfare inspections could not be made. However, the usual programme of inspections will now continue for those mink farms still in operation.

Mink Farms

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) breeding female and (b) other mink were present at each of the mink farms operating on 28 February; and if she will show the figures by (i) farm and (ii) county.

Elliot Morley: We estimate, following visits by independent consultants engaged by the Department, that in February 2001 a total of 30,000 female and 6,000 male mink were being kept in England. I am unable to release details by farm because of commercial confidentiality.

Mink Farms

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many mink farms were operating and contained live mink in England and Wales on 1 October; and if she will list their locations by county.

Elliot Morley: As at 1 October 2001, three mink farms in England were licensed and contained live mink, two in Lancashire and one in Hampshire.

Energy Performance (Buildings)

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many responses were received to the Government's consultation on the proposed EU directive on the energy performance of buildings; and how many of these responses welcomed the proposal.

Michael Meacher: Approximately 150 written responses were received in response to the Government's consultation on the proposed EU directive on the energy performance of buildings. The consultation closed on 26 October and the responses are currently being analysed, but an initial review of the responses so far indicates that all but three were broadly supportive of the proposed directive. A summary of responses will be published on the DEFRA website in due course.

Foot and Mouth

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the percentage of FMD cases where transmission of the disease was (a) from animal to animal, (b) airborne, (c) from contact with persons who had handled infected animals, (d) from contact with persons who had no contact with infected animals and (e) due to other causes.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 2 November 2001
	Investigations into the epidemiology of the outbreak are continuing and a number of publications are planned. The following interim results are minimum estimates for the single cause of infection.
	
		
			  Number of cases Percentage of cases 
		
		
			 (a) Animal to animal 92 4.5 
			 (b) Airborne 18 0.9 
			 (c) and (d) Personal contact 73 3.6 
			 (e) Other causes(23) 1,840 90.9 
			   
			 Total 2,023 — 
		
	
	(23) See breakdown in following table
	
		Breakdown of (e) 'other causes'
		
			  Number of cases Percentage of cases 
		
		
			 Local transmission 1,587 78.4 
			 Dairy tanker 13 0.6 
			 Other fomite 12 0.6 
			 Other vehicles 29 1.4 
			 Under investigation 199 9.9 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures do not distinguish between those persons who handled infected animals and those who did not.
	2. Many infected premises had multiple possible sources of infection. If investigations reveal that there was more than one potential source within the appropriate time frame and the case falls within 3 kilometres of an earlier premises, the cause is recorded as 'local' transmission.
	3. A fomite is defined as any inanimate object capable of carrying the virus.

Foot and Mouth

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what differences there are between the guidance given to Herefordshire council about grants to assist businesses affected by foot and mouth disease and that issued to Business Link and the Forest of Dean council and to Gloucestershire council.

Alun Michael: Within the guidelines it was left to individual regional development agencies to decide how to manage and prioritise the assistance given. Officials have looked at the way this has been dealt with by south-west regional development agency and Advantage West Midlands and are satisfied that although differing in detail both are consistent with the guidelines. I will write to my hon. Friend with further details.

Foot and Mouth

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of jobs lost in the agricultural sector as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak.

Alun Michael: The Department does not have statistics which could accurately reflect any job losses in the agricultural sector resulting from foot and mouth disease. As part of our efforts to properly interpret the social and economic impact on rural areas we are currently running a telephone survey of a sample of farmers who have been directly or indirectly affected by foot and mouth disease. This survey includes questions relating to the employment effects of the outbreak.

Foot and Mouth

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what requirements farms must comply with in order to qualify for (a) cleansing and (b) restocking following a foot and mouth outbreak;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on her policy on (a) cleansing and (b) restocking of farms infected by foot and mouth;
	(3)  if she will make a statement on how the restocking procedure following the foot and mouth outbreak will be implemented and the criteria governing this programme.

Elliot Morley: Cleansing and disinfection and restocking are key stages in the FMD eradication process.
	Our policy is to ensure that cleansing and disinfection is carried out thoroughly and efficiently while at the same time ensuring the best use of public funds. Preliminary cleansing and disinfection (C and D) is carried out during the slaughter and disposal stage on all premises known, or believed to be contaminated with foot and mouth disease in order to minimise the risk of the virus spreading to neighbouring farms. Twenty-four hours after this stage has been completed, secondary C and D can commence, the purpose of which is to reduce the risk of recrudescence and allow for restocking. Restocking can commence once the farmer has a certificate stating the C and D has been satisfactorily completed.
	The Department will normally pay the costs of secondary C and D providing farms are (a) in a reasonable state of cleanliness and repair, (b) there are no health and safety implications for those involved in the cleansing operation and (c) that the costs incurred are proportionate to the individual farm situation. Since 5 August, contractual arrangements have been tightened and farmers encouraged to undertake secondary C and D themselves, wherever possible.
	Restocking must be accomplished in such a way as to balance the needs of the livestock industry and the veterinary and scientific advice as to the disease control risks involved in this process. The key elements of our restocking policy are as follows:
	Secondary C and D must take place and a period of 21 days allowed to elapse prior to restocking.
	If secondary C and D does not take place, a period of 12 months must elapse prior to restocking.
	Movements of stock on to the farm must be licensed by DEFRA.
	The numbers of livestock permitted for initial restocking must be set out in the premises restocking plan, which must be approved by the divisional veterinary manager.
	Depending on the origin of sheep, testing of the flock of origin and all the sheep to be moved may be required. This will give valuable surveillance data on the prevalence of disease in the national flock.
	Animals are to be inspected regularly for four weeks. Sheep and goats will be blood tested after 28 days. If all clear, restrictions can be lifted.
	Further advice on restocking is available to farmers on the DEFRA website http://www.defra.gov.uk/.

Sheep and Goats

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with (a) the National Farmers Union and (b) others about the National Farmers Union's proposals for individual identification of sheep and goats; and if he will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The NFU has not put forward proposals for compulsory individual identification of sheep and goats.
	My officials have had initial discussions with industry representatives, which included NFU, about the future identification requirements for sheep and goats. Individual identification was one of the options discussed and we are now considering the views expressed by industry before a final decision is taken.

Agriculture Revenue

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the income of the United Kingdom Agriculture industry was that derived from (a) EU common agricultural policy funds, including intervention sales, (b) UK funds and product sales, and (c) other sources, expressed in (i) cash and (ii) percentage terms, in the last 12 months.

Elliot Morley: Estimates of the revenue to the agricultural industry broken down by source for the calendar year 2000 are given in the table.
	
		Revenue to the UK agricultural industry in the year 2000
		
			  £ million Percentage 
		
		
			 Total revenue(24) 15,587 100 
			 of which:   
			 CAP support—EU funded(25) 2,432 16 
			 UK Exchequer funding(26) 144 1 
			 Product sales(27) 11,613 75 
			 Taxes -103 -1 
			 Other sources(28) 1,501 10 
		
	
	(24) Gross output at basic prices plus other subsidies less taxes on production
	(25) Excludes indirect market support such as intervention purchases but includes payments for over-30-month scheme
	(26) Includes CAP support measures funded by UK Exchequer
	(27) Includes the effects of indirect market support which cost £497 million in 2000–01
	(28) Includes transactions between farms and revenue from non- agricultural activities on the farm

Entrust

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when and how often Entrust provides financial reports to HM Customs and Excise.

Paul Boateng: I have been asked to reply.
	Customs has direct online access to Entrust's accounting database which contains detailed reports from environmental bodies. In addition Entrust provides Customs with its annual audited company accounts and an annual report containing statistical information about the landfill tax credit scheme.

Entrust

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the future role of Entrust, as a result of the proposed reform of the landfill tax credit scheme.

Paul Boateng: I have been asked to reply.
	As stated in Budget 2001, we are attracted to replacing all or part of the landfill tax credit scheme with a public spending programme to direct resources towards Government priorities on sustainable waste management. The Government, together with the devolved Administrations, are developing options for a spending programme for consideration as part of the spending review 2002. Maintaining the current scheme, potentially with minor modifications, will also be reviewed. The Government will consult with interested parties on the future of the scheme and the transition to any replacement. The role of Entrust will be determined by the outcome of this consultation.

Entrust

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are taken by Entrust to conduct audits into applications for grants for environmental projects as part of the landfill tax credit scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: I have been asked to reply.
	Entrust is responsible for enroling environmental bodies and checking that they meet qualifying criteria. It monitors the spending of these bodies through a risk based audit programme and notifies Customs where money has not been properly spent.

Entrust

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what remuneration packages are available to executives of Entrust; and if she will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: I have been asked to reply.
	As a private sector company, details of the salaries and benefits of its employees are a matter for Entrust.

Zoo Animals

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on (a) the conditions in which zoo animals are kept and (b) the consequences for the safety of their keepers.

Elliot Morley: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo Practice provide comprehensive guidance on best practice for keeping animals in zoos (this document can be obtained from DEFRAs website at www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/gwd/zooprac/ index.htm). They set out the basic principles that zoos need to observe to secure the proper care and well-being of the animals in their care, and they form the basis on which zoo inspections are carried out on behalf of local authorities under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981.
	The health and safety of zoo employees is provided for by a separate inspection process under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and is a matter for the Health and Safety Executive. Although the inspection regimes are quite separate, the local authorities often co-ordinate the inspections as benefits can arise from conducting them together.

Landfill Tax

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made in financial terms of abuse related to the landfill tax credit scheme.

Paul Boateng: I have been asked to reply.
	Because of on-going investigations no accurate financial assessment of abuse in the landfill tax credit scheme is currently available.

Flooding

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assistance she is providing to the (a) London borough of Redbridge and (b) Environment Agency to protect properties at risk from flooding.

Elliot Morley: DEFRA provides grant aid for flood defence capital works, and associated studies, which meet essential technical, economic and environmental criteria and achieve an appropriate priority score.
	DEFRA has recently approved for grant aid two studies, the Seven Kings Water and Cran Brook Hydraulic Studies, being undertaken by the London borough of Redbridge. The estimated cost is £44,000 and the council has been awarded a grant rate of 45 per cent.
	The Environment Agency has extended flood warning arrangements and are also undertaking studies and maintenance in the area, but have not sought DEFRA funding as yet.

Hunting

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to allow fox hunting to resume; and if she will make a statement.

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on when hunting will recommence in Wales following the foot and mouth outbreak.

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the veterinary risk of resuming hunting in Worcestershire; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: holding answer 6 November 2001
	The veterinary risk assessment raises a number of complex issues regarding the future of foot and mouth disease related restrictions on hunting and such matters involve a careful balance of risks. It will be published as soon as Ministers and DEFRA officials have completed their consideration of the document. An announcement on the future of foot and mouth disease controls on hunting will be made as soon as possible.

Radioactive Waste

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the total UK volume of radioactive wastes has been produced by the nuclear power sector in the last five years.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 8 November 2001
	Approximately 93 per cent. of the total volume of radioactive wastes produced in the last five years has arisen from the nuclear power sector and its associated research and development activities.

Movement of Livestock Scheme

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at what dates and times the autumn movement of livestock scheme website has been unavailable; and if she will make a statement on the impact on applicants of the unavailability of that website.

Elliot Morley: Information on the livestock movement scheme is held on the DEFRA website http://www.defra.gov.uk. This site has been continuously available since the scheme was introduced.

Fox Control

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what risk assessments have been completed on the recommencement of fox control in Wales following the foot and mouth outbreak; and if she will place copies of the risk assessments in the Library.

Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond) on 31 October 2001, Official Report, columns 735–36W.

Beef Consumption

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of beef consumption was (a) UK produced and (b) imported in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Elliot Morley: Estimates of the breakdown of UK beef consumption between imported and UK produced beef are given in the table:
	
		United Kingdom beef consumption -- Unit(29)
		
			  Year Total available for UK consumption Of which: imports(30) As a percentage of total consumption Of which: UK produced beef As percentage of total consumption 
		
		
			 1991 995 204 20 791 80 
			 1992 993 206 21 788 79 
			 1993 921 209 23 712 77 
			 1994 969 190 20 778 80 
			 1995 903 212 24 691 76 
			 1996 732 169 23 563 77 
			 1997 857 217 25 640 75 
			 1998 858 152 18 706 82 
			 1999 934 183 20 751 80 
			 2000(31) 915 197 21 718 79 
		
	
	(29) Thousand tonnes carcase weight equivalent
	(30) Assumes all imports are consumed in the UK and all imports during a particular year are consumed in that year
	(31) Provisional data
	Source:
	Prepared by: Statistics (Commodities and Food) Division, Economics and Statistics Directorate, DEFRA

Vets

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many vets were employed by the state veterinary service in each year since 1997.

Elliot Morley: The number of veterinary surgeons employed by the state veterinary service at 1 January each year since 1997 is given in the table.
	Of the 286 full-time equivalent veterinarians employed by the state veterinary service, 220 are employed as field veterinary officers. The work of these officers is supplemented by about 100 temporary veterinary inspectors (TVIs) from the private sector in normal times.
	
		
			 Year Number of vets 
		
		
			 1997 289.5 
			 1998 302.0 
			 1999 283.0 
			 2000 284.0 
			 2001 286.0

Sheepmeat Exports

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the commencement of sheepmeat exports; and if she will list those countries free from foot and mouth disease from which sheepmeat destined for export can be derived.

Elliot Morley: It is anticipated that the mechanisms for the recommencement of exports of sheepmeat will be in place by 19 November 2001. The areas where the sheep may be sourced are available in the Library of the House.

GM Crop Trials

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will make it her policy that no new farmscale GM crop trials will be licensed within cross-pollination distance of Ryton Organic Gardens;
	(2)  what powers the Government have to intervene in the licensing of the farmscale GM crop trials once they have been approved by SCIMAC and the Scientific Steering Committee.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 25 June 2001
	The crops grown in the programme of farmscale evaluations (FSEs) are at two different stages in the authorisation process. The powers to intervene in the licensing of the FSEs depend on the authorisation status of the GM crop concerned.
	The oil seed rape and beet are authorised by my Department for growing in the evaluations under UK legislation implementing Part B of European directive 90/220 on deliberate release of GMOs. The consent is underpinned by a risk assessment and permits the GM crops to be grown in the evaluations on any arable land where rape or beet would normally be grown. The consent holder has to notify the Department of the locations of proposed sites prior to sowing together with a statement indicating whether the risk assessment remains valid for the new site and, if not, provide further evaluation. The consent holder may proceed to sow the crop unless he receives written indication from the Department that the new site does not comply on safety or other grounds with the conditions of the consent and the risk assessment.
	The GM maize has Europe-wide approval for cultivation under Part C of Directive 90/220 granted in August 1998 by the French competent authority on behalf of the EC. However, this approval imposes no restrictions or conditions on the locations where the maize can be grown. For this crop, therefore, the Department has no statutory powers to intervene over the location of trial sites. However, before the GM maize could be grown commercially individual varieties will require listing on the National List of Seeds or the European Common Catalogue. In addition, under our voluntary agreement with the industry body SCIMAC, this GM crop will not be grown commercially in the UK until the completion of the evaluations and only then if it is assessed as causing no unacceptable effects on the environment.
	The evaluations are being undertaken by an independent research consortium and overseen by the independent Scientific Steering Committee. SCIMAC provide the fields of crops for study. The steering committee has set overall criteria for the conduct of the evaluations and requires a representative distribution of sites. SCIMAC find farmers who may be willing to host an evaluation and draw up a list of potential farms from which the researchers select sites to meet the SSC criteria. Ministers are not involved in this process.
	Given the public reaction to the proposal to locate an evaluation close to Ryton Organic Gardens last spring, the Government will use their influence to seek to ensure that no FSE site is chosen in future within cross-pollution distance of Ryton Organic Gardens.